ATHON

The European Commission has pointed out the need to improve the health and well-being of European citizens through a higher quality of their food, including improved control of food contaminants. PCBs are prevalent contaminants in fatty food of animal origin such as meat, certain fish and diary products. Non-dioxin-like (NDL) PCBs are poorly characterised from a toxicological point of view, and to date, no health based guidance value for human exposure have been established. Since NDL-PCBs constitute a major part of the PCBs found in food and human tissues, it has become an urgent matter to advance the understanding of their toxicity. The topic has recently been discussed in several organisations, which provide advice to the regulators and neurobehavioural, reproductive and developmental toxicity, liver toxicity and tumour promotion have been pointed out to be of particular concern.

 

ATHON addresses all of these effects, as well as indicators for immunotoxicity, endocrine disturbances, and NDL-PCB metabolism. Studies are designed to meet the quantitative and qualitative requirements on toxicological data for use in the hazard and risk assessment procedures. Efforts will be made to identify toxicological mechanisms and outcomes, specific for NDL-PCBs. The outcome will allow for a better follow up of exposure and health effects in the human population.

 

 

SIXTH FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME, PRIORITY 5 FOOD QUALITY AND SAFETY

This project, Contract no.:FOOD-CT-2005-022923, is sponsored by the
6th Framework of Research and Technological Development of the EU, 
Priority 5 (Food Quality and Safety).

The information given here reflects the author’s view only.

The Community is not liable for any use that may be made of the information