title: Risk assessment for pyrrolizidine alkaloids detected in (herbal) teas and plant food supplements.
abstract: Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are plant metabolites present in some botanical preparations, with especially 1,2-unsaturated PAs being of concern because they are genotoxic carcinogens. This study presents an overview of tumour data on PAs and points of departure (PODs) derived from them, corroborating that the BMDL10for lasiocarpine represents a conservative POD for risk assessment. A risk assessment using this BMDL10and mean levels of PAs reported in literature for (herbal) teas, indicates that consumption of one cup of tea a day would result in MOE values lower than 10 000 for several types of (herbal) teas, indicating a priority for risk management for these products A refined risk assessment using interim relative potency (REP) factors showed that based on the mean PA levels, 7(54%) of 13 types of (herbal) teas and 1 (14%) of 7 types of plant food supplements (PFS) resulted in MOE values lower than 10 000, indicating a priority for risk management also for these products in particular. This includes both preparations containing PA-producing and non-PA-producing plants. Our study provides insight in the current state-of-the art and limitations in the risk assessment of PA-containing food products, especially (herbal) teas and PFS, indicating that PAs in food presents a field of interest for current and future risk management.
authors.affiliation: Division of Toxicology, Wageningen University, PO Box 8000, 6700 EA, Wageningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: Lu.Chen@wur.nl.
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: RIKILT Wageningen University & Research, PO Box 230, 6700 AE, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Patrick P J
authors.initials: PPJ
authors.lastname: Mulder
authors.affiliation: Division of Toxicology, Wageningen University, PO Box 8000, 6700 EA, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jochem
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Louisse
authors.affiliation: RIKILT Wageningen University & Research, PO Box 230, 6700 AE, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peijnenburg
authors.affiliation: Division of Toxicology, Wageningen University, PO Box 8000, 6700 EA, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sebas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wesseling
authors.affiliation: Division of Toxicology, Wageningen University, PO Box 8000, 6700 EA, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ivonne M C M
authors.initials: IMCM
authors.lastname: Rietjens
mesh_terms: D002273:Carcinogens / Q000633:toxicity*; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000633:toxicity*; D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids / Q000633:toxicity*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D000069459:Teas, Herbal / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens; D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids; D000069459:Teas, Herbal
keywords: (Herbal) teas; BMDL(10); MOE; Plant food supplements; Pyrrolizidine alkaloids; REP; Risk assessment; T10; T25