title: Risk assessment of methylmercury in five European countries considering the national seafood consumption patterns.
abstract: Although seafood is a nutritious protein source, due to marine environmental pollution, seafood may also be a source of contaminants. The results obtained within the FP7-ECsafeSEAFOOD-project show that among the range of studied environmental contaminants certainly methylmercury (MeHg) requires deeper investigation. This paper presents the results of a probabilistic risk assessment for MeHg based on: (1) primary concentration data, as well as secondary data from published papers, and (2) primary species-specific consumption data collected in five European countries (Belgium, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain). The results indicated that in the southern European countries, larger subgroups of the population (up to 11% in Portugal) are potentially at risk for a MeHg exposure above the Tolerable Weekly Intake (TWI) value, while this risk is much lower in Ireland and Belgium. This research confirms the substantial contribution of tuna to MeHg exposure in each of the countries. Also hake, cod, sea bream, sea bass and octopus are identified as important contributors. From this study, it is concluded that a country-specific seafood consumption advice is needed. Policy makers may adopt the results of this study in order to develop consumer advices that optimise health benefits versus potential health risks by providing species-specific information.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Ghent University, UZ 4K3, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; Department of Agricultural Economics, Ghent University, Block A, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Silke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Ghent University, UZ 4K3, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; Department of Food Safety and Food Quality, Ghent University, Block B, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: Isabelle.Sioen@UGent.be.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sioen
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Safety and Food Quality, Ghent University, Block B, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Liesbeth
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jacxsens
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: José L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Domingo
authors.affiliation: Technical University of Denmark, National Food Institute, Moerkhoej Bygade 19, DK2830 Soeborg, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jens J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Sloth
authors.affiliation: Division of Aquaculture and Seafood Upgrading, Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere, I.P. (IPMA). Avenida de Brasília, 1449-006 Lisbon, Portugal; Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos s/n 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal.
authors.forename: António
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Economics, Ghent University, Block A, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Verbeke
mesh_terms: D005060:Europe; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D059022:Food Safety; D006801:Humans; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000032:analysis*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017747:Seafood / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D008767:Methylmercury Compounds
keywords: European consumers; Exposure; MethylMercury; Risk assessment; Seafood species