Survey of dioxins, dioxin-like PCBs and marker PCBs in German feeds of plant origin

Abstract

Within a representative survey the levels of dioxins (PCDD/PCDF), dioxin-like PCBs and marker PCBs in 206 German feed samples were analysed in the years 2004/2005. The sampling plan included compound feed (N = 115) and roughage and succulent feed (N = 91) and reflected the representative feeding situation in Germany. The median content of WHO-PCB-TEQ in analysed feed samples was 0.017 ng/kg [88% dry matter (d.m.)] and consequently more than a factor of 10 below the action level of 0.35 ng/kg (88% d.m.). A differentiation between compound feed and roughage and succulent feed showed that compound feed [median 0.007 ng/kg (88% d.m.)] were significantly lower contaminated with dioxin-like PCBs than roughage and succulent feed [median 0.058 ng/kg (88% d.m.)]. The median sum contents of the six marker PCBs were 0.16 lg/kg (88% d.m.) for compound feed and 0.56 lg/kg (88% d.m.) for roughage and succulent feed. The median of the WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ was 0.03 ng/kg (88% d.m.), the maximum level of 0.75 ng/kg (88% d.m.) was not exceeded. The median of the WHO-PCDD/F-PCB-TEQ was 0.05 ng/kg (88% d.m.) and consequently a factor of 25 below the maximum level of 1.25 ng/kg.Additionally the samples of roughage and succulent feed were analysed according to their contents of ash insoluble in HCl, representing a degree of the proportion of earthy components in feed. A slight correlation was found between ash insoluble in HCl and WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ (R 2 = 0.59) whereas no correlation was found between ash insoluble in HCl and WHO-PCB-TEQ (R 2 = 0.06).

The Need and Potential of Biosensors to Detect Dioxins and Dioxin-Like Polychlorinated Biphenyls along the Milk, Eggs and Meat Food Chain

“…Because dioxins and PCBs may enter the food chain through several pathways, the magnitude of contamination differs depending on the frequency of exposure and levels of contaminants in each of these pathways. Earlier studies have shown that roughages in general contain higher levels of dioxins than commercial compound feed [ 57 ]. In Table 2 the contamination routes for different production systems (milk, eggs and meat) are further elaborated.…”

“…Contrary to dairy cattle, dioxins are not excreted through the milk and accumulate in the fat. Furthermore, it was found that meat from calves that relied on milk from suckler cows until slaughter contained higher levels of dioxins and DL-PCBs than that of the animals that were fed with milk replacer [ 57 , 81 ]. This might be a consequence of mobilization of dioxins and DL-PCBs in the cow’s tissues and the transfer into milk fat [ 81 ].…”

Are the results of customary methods for analyzing dioxin and dioxin-like compound congener profiles court-proof?

“…Contamination of food is the result of contaminated feed and, in particular for wildlife fish, from contaminated waters. Hence, food quality assurance necessitates the control of waters [1][2][3], soil [4], food [5][6][7] and feed [6,8].…”

Dioxins, dioxin-like PCBs and non-dioxin-like PCBs in dairy products on the German market and the temporal tendency in Schleswig-Holstein

“…Furthermore, based on these data, we intented to determine the daily intake of dioxins and PCBs from food of animal origin. Further data on fish and fishery products as well as on feed have been published recently (Karl and Ruoff 2008;Schwind et al 2010).…”