World Food Science and Technology Congress

Food Poisoning and Regulatory Toxicology

The presence of potentially Toxic chemicals in food is a global public health concern and most governments use regulatory toxicology to address these potential hazards. The presence in food of chemicals at potentially toxic levels is a public health concern worldwide. Contamination of foods may occur through environmental pollution of the air, water and soil, such as the case with toxic metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxins. The intentional use of various chemicals, such as Food additives, pesticides, veterinary drugs and other Agro-chemicals can also pose hazards if such chemicals are not properly regulated. The regulatory control of potentially toxic chemicals in food is an essential responsibility of governments and their food control agencies. Up-to-date food legislation and enforcement, including monitoring programs, must support the work of those agencies. Much progress has been made in protecting the consumer from chemical hazards.  Regulatory Toxicology also estimates the likely dietary intake of chemicals by the population to assure that safe or tolerable levels are not exceeded.  As chemicals arise in food from a number of different sources, regulatory toxicology approaches are different for various categories of chemicals, such as Food additives, veterinary drug residues, contaminants, Natural toxicants and  Adulterant.