title: Individual methylmercury intake estimates from local seafood of the Mediterranean Sea, in Italy.
abstract: A Seafood Frequency Questionnaire (SFQ) broken down in more than 42 items with 8-week coverage was interview-administered to 278 adults aged 19-82years (167 women, 98 in the reproductive age 19-45years, and 111 men), resident on the Italian Mediterranean shore and frequent buyer at local fish markets. Methylmercury (MeHg) intake on individual basis was estimated for a selected occurrence equal to the median value+Median Absolute Deviation (MAD) in each seafood species reported (conservative scenario). MeHg occurrence was derived from an extensive seafood database referred to years 2009-2011. Accounting for an average body weight of 62.2kg, 24.6% of women resulted overexposed with respect to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Tolerable Weekly Intake (TWI) for MeHg of 1.3μg/kg bw, with a mean of 0.92μg/kg bw. In the vulnerable group aged 19-45years, 29.6% exceeded the TWI. Rather than the amount of seafood consumed, the seafood choice appears to be the main determinant of the MeHg intake. Risk awareness was reported in the 49% of SFQs. Uncertainties related to such estimates from questionnaires are discussed, in order to give adequate health recommendations without compromising seafood consumption in the Mediterranean region.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Toxicological Chemistry Unit, Viale Regina Elena 299, I-00161 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: elena.dellatte@iss.it.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dellatte
authors.affiliation: Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Toxicological Chemistry Unit, Viale Regina Elena 299, I-00161 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: gianfranco.brambilla@iss.it.
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brambilla
authors.affiliation: Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Toxicological Chemistry Unit, Viale Regina Elena 299, I-00161 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: roberto.miniero@iss.it.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Miniero
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Via Bologna 148, I-10154 Turin, Italy. Electronic address: mariacesarina.abete@izsto.it.
authors.forename: Maria Cesarina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Abete
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Umbria e delle Marche, Via Cupa di Posatora 3, I-60100 Ancona, Italy. Electronic address: r.orletti@izsum.it.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Orletti
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, Via Vienna 2, I-79100 Sassari, Italy. Electronic address: giannina.chessa@izs-sardegna.it.
authors.forename: Giannina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chessa
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana, Via Appia Nuova 1411, I-00178 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: alessandro.ubaldi@izslt.it.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ubaldi
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Puglia e Basilicata, Via Manfredonia 20, I-71121 Foggia, Italy. Electronic address: izsfgchimica@tiscali.it.
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chiaravalle
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle D'Aosta, Piazza Borgo Pila 39, I-16129 Genoa, Italy. Electronic address: micaela.tiso@unige.it.
authors.forename: Micaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tiso
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle D'Aosta, Piazza Borgo Pila 39, I-16129 Genoa, Italy. Electronic address: angelo.ferrari@izsto.it.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrari
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017747:Seafood / Q000032:analysis*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D008767:Methylmercury Compounds
keywords: Food safety; Food security; Intake; Mediterranean Sea; Methylmercury; Seafood; Sensitive groups