Review of the state of the art of human biomonitoring for chemical substances and its application to human exposure assessment for food safety

Abstract

Human biomonitoring (HBM) measures the levels of substances in body fluids and tissues. Many countries have conducted HBM studies, yet little is known about its application towards chemical risk assessment, particularly in relation to food safety. Therefore a literature search was performed in several databases and conference proceedings for 2002 -2014. Definitions of HBM and biomarkers, HBM techniques and requirements, and the possible application to the different steps of risk assessment were described. The usefulness of HBM for exposure assessment of chemical substances from food source, and for the implementation of a systematic Post Market Monitoring (PMM) approach for regulated chemical substances was evaluated. An inventory of HBM programmes provides detailed information about study design, analytical methods, reference values (RV) and biomarkers used. Environmental monitoring and associations between HBM values and food, as well as coverage of substances and remaining deficits are highlighted. The review of study results provides information on emerging chemicals, higher exposed and particularly vulnerable populations.Conclusions: HBM can bring added value for chemical risk assessment in food safety areas (namely exposure assessment), and for the implementation of a systematic PMM approach. But further work needs to be done to improve usability. Major deficits are the lack of HBM guidance values on a considerable number of substance groups, for which health based guidance values (HBGVs) have been developed, insufficient knowledge regarding exposure sources, and incomplete dietary intake assessment. Recommendations: We recommend to foster development of HBM based guidance values and validated analytical methods/BMs, stronger inclusion of substances of interest for EFSA in European surveys, expanded monitoring of highly exposed and vulnerable subgroups, uptake of EFSA guidance concerning dietary intake assessment, as well as biobanking, surveillance synergies and targeted research, and an EU wide collaborative approach to support the future use of HBM in PMM.©BiPRO GmbH, 2015 DISCLAIMERThe present document has been produced and adopted by the bodies identified above as author(s). This task has been carried out exclusively by the author(s) in the context of a contract between the European Food Safety Authority and the author(s), awarded following a tender procedure. The present document is published complying with the transparency principle to which the Authority is subject. It may not be considered as an output adopted by the Authority. The European Food Safety Authority reserves its rights, view and position as regards the issues addressed and the conclusions reached in the present document, without prejudice to the rights of the authors. The present document has been produced and adopted by the bodies identified above as author(s). This task has been carried out exclusively by the author(s) in the context of a contract between the European Food Safety Authority and the author(s), awarded foll...

Added value of human biomonitoring in assessment of general population exposure to xenobiotics

“…the internal dose) that results from complex pathways of human exposure and also incorporates toxicokinetic information and individual characteristics such as a genetically based susceptibility (10). It takes into account processes such as metabolism, bioaccumulation and excretion (7). Through the use of biomarkers it is not only possible to monitor exposure but it also becomes feasible to detect early health effects (10).…”

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Strategies for estimating human exposure to mycotoxins via food

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“…food, inhalation, skin contact) and reflects the internal biological active fraction (Choi et al, 2015). The exposure can be assessed by converting urinary mycotoxin concentrations to intake levels, taking into account their kinetics, such as rate of excretion (i.e.…”

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“…A review of the state of the art of human bio-monitoring for chemical substances and its application to human exposure assessment for food safety (Choi et al, 2015) was published as an EFSA supporting publication. The report provides a review of the results obtained from human bio-monitoring studies and concludes that human bio-monitoring allowed for the identification of emerging chemicals or chemical classes of possibly higher exposed sub-groups or specific vulnerable groups of a population and of other issues relevant for EFSA's risk assessment activities.…”