The footprint of dioxins in globally traded pork meat

ABSTRACT: Summary The bioaccumulation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PCDD/Fs), known as dioxins, in fatty meat is one of primary pathways of entry into the human body, but levels of human exposure to dioxins in fatty meat subject to global trade are unknown. We show high dioxin estimated dietary intake (EDI) via pork consumption in Europe, the United States, and China, owing to stronger dioxin environmental contamination and high pork consumption in these countries. The dioxin risk transfer embodied in pork trade is mostly significant in high-latitude countries and regions of Canada, Russia, and Greenland because these regions with low dioxin environmental levels import large amounts of pork meat from more severely dioxin-contaminated Europe and the United States. We demonstrate that global pig feed trading decreases the exposure of pork consumers to dioxins via the import of feed from countries with low dioxin environmental contamination by pig breeding countries. Graphical abstract Highlights • High PCDD/Fs EDI is caused by high dioxin environmental pollution and pork consumption• Global pork trade caused larger PCDD/Fs EDI flows than atmospheric transport• Western Europe and the United States yield most of the PCDD/Fs EDI transfer through pork export• Pig feed trade can affect pork consumers’ exposure to dioxins Environmental science; Pollution; Agricultural market; Food science

SUBMITTER: Chen K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8564055 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature