Survey of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzofurans, and non-ortho-polychlorinated biphenyls in U.S. meat and poultry, 2007-2008: effect of new toxic equivalency factors on toxic equivalency levels, patterns, and temporal trends.
A statistically based survey of dioxins and dioxin-like compounds in domestic meat and poultry was conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from September 2007 to September 2008. Seventeen toxic polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and four non-ortho-polychlorinated biphenyls (no-PCBs) were measured in 510 beef (steer/heifer), market hog, young turkey, and young chicken samples. The results of the survey showed the sum of PCDD/F and no-PCB toxic equivalencies (sum-TEQs) ranging from not detected to 4.5 pg/g of lipid. Mean sum-TEQ levels for beef, turkey, chicken, and pork were 0.66, 0.61, 0.17, and 0.16 pg/g of lipid, respectively. To compare the new survey data with data from previous USDA surveys in the mid-1990s and 2002-2003, TEQs from all data sets were calculated using the most recent 2005 toxic equivalency factors (TEFs). The results of the recalculation on the older survey data was a small increase (4-13%) in mean TEQs for the mid-1990s data, which initially used pre-1994 TEFs, and a small decrease (2-4%) for the 2002-2003 data, which initially used 1998 TEFs. A comparison of the three surveys indicates declining TEQ trends in all slaughter classes over the 10 year period; however, the congener patterns remain relatively constant between 2002 and 2008, indicating similar animal exposures to dioxins and dioxin-like compounds during these time periods. Several samples from the 2008 survey with the highest TEQ values are undergoing follow-up investigations to determine possible sources that may be contributing to these levels.
Huwe
Janice
J
Biosciences Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Fargo, North Dakota 58105, USA. Janice.huwe@ars.usda.gov
Pagan-Rodriguez
Doritza
D
Abdelmajid
Naser
N
Clinch
Nelson
N
Gordon
Donald
D
Holterman
James
J
Zaki
Ezzat
E
Lorentzsen
Margaret
M
Dearfield
Kerry
K
D000818:Animals; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000032:analysis*; D002417:Cattle; D003625:Data Collection; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D004147:Dioxins / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000379:methods; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis*; D011200:Poultry; D013552:Swine; D014481:United States; D016885:United States Department of Agriculture / Q000639:trends*
D001572:Benzofurans; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D004147:Dioxins; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls