The European Commission asked EFSA for a scientific opinion on the risks for animal and human health related to the presence of dioxins (PCDD/Fs) and DL‐PCBs in feed and food. The data from experimental animal and epidemiological studies were reviewed and it was decided to base the human risk assessment on effects observed in humans and to use animal data as supportive evidence. The critical effect was on semen quality, following pre‐ and postnatal exposure. The critical study showed a NOAEL of 7.0 pg WHO2005‐TEQ/g fat in blood sampled at age 9 years based on PCDD/F‐TEQs. No association was observed when including DL‐PCB‐TEQs. Using toxicokinetic modelling and taking into account the exposure from breastfeeding and a twofold higher intake during childhood, it was estimated that daily exposure in adolescents and adults should be below 0.25 pg TEQ/kg bw/day. The CONTAM Panel established a TWI of 2 pg TEQ/kg bw/week. With occurrence and consumption data from European countries, the mean and P95 intake of total TEQ by Adolescents, Adults, Elderly and Very Elderly varied between, respectively, 2.1 to 10.5, and 5.3 to 30.4 pg TEQ/kg bw/week, implying a considerable exceedance of the TWI. Toddlers and Other Children showed a higher exposure than older age groups, but this was accounted for when deriving the TWI. Exposure to PCDD/F‐TEQ only was on average 2.4‐ and 2.7‐fold lower for mean and P95 exposure than for total TEQ. PCDD/Fs and DL‐PCBs are transferred to milk and eggs, and accumulate in fatty tissues and liver. Transfer rates and bioconcentration factors were identified for various species. The CONTAM Panel was not able to identify reference values in most farm and companion animals with the exception of NOAELs for mink, chicken and some fish species. The estimated exposure from feed for these species does not imply a risk.

No abstract

Trifluoroacetate (TFA) is a ubiquitous xenochemical presently increasing in concentration in some environmental compartments, especially in the plant biomass of industrialized countries. Direct anthropogenic emissions of TFA are probably low, and the major anthropogenic sources are most likely various TFA precursors. As TFA has been found in ocean waters from remote locations, the question arose whether it is also a naturally occurring environmental chemical. Determination of the depth dependence of TFA in the ocean water column should shed some light on this question. However, in environmental analytical studies, the risk of systematic errors can be high and may lead to wrong conclusions. Therefore, special attention has been paid to the fact that TFA is a common atmospheric pollutant in the urban environment and that contributions from sampling, storage, and transport potentially lead to artificially high TFA values. The results of the ocean water sampling campaigns indicate that TFA is a naturally occurring chemical, homogeneously distributed in ocean waters of all ages with a concentration of about 200 ng/L.