Congener profile, occurrence and estimated dietary intake of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in foods marketed in the Region of Valencia (Spain)

During 2006–2008, a monitoring program was conducted on 29 target compounds, including PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs, comprising 150 randomly collected individual food samples marketed in the Region of Valencia, Spain, grouped into 8 categories (vegetables, cereals, fats and oils, eggs, milk and dairy products, fish products, meat and meat products and fish oil). For PCDD/Fs, the highest frequency of detection corresponds to 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDD, OCDD, 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF; and PCBs 118, 105 and 156 were the more frequent dl-PCBs. The food groups presenting higher contamination, expressed as toxic equivalents (WHO-TEQs), were fish oil (6.38 pg WHO-TEQ g−1 fat), fish (1.21 pg WHO-TEQ g−1 w.w.) and milk and dairy products (0.90 pg WHO-TEQ g−1 fat). Of all analysed samples, only two fish oils presented levels higher than the EU limits for total WHO-TEQ. The average PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs intakes were estimated as 2.86 pg WHO-TEQ kg−1 b.w. d−1 and 4.58 pg WHO-TEQ kg−1 b.w. d−1, for adults and children, respectively, using the deterministic method for chronic exposure. The main contributors to total intake for adults were fish (59%), milk and dairy products (19%), and fat and oils (9%). The average daily intake for adults (2.86 pg WHO-TEQ kg−1 b.w. d−1) is within range of TDI recommended by the WHO (1–4 pg WHO-TEQ kg−1 b.w. d−1), and slightly above the TWI and PTMI adopted by SCF and JECFA respectively.

Research highlights
► We monitored eight food categories for 29 compounds including PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs.
► 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-HpCDD, OCDD and 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF were the more frequent PCDD/Fs.
► For dl-PCBs, PCB-118, 105 and 156 present the highest frequency of detection.
► Fish (59%), dairy products (19%) and oils (9%) are the main intake contributors.
► The average daily intake for adults was 2.86 pg WHO-TEQ kg−1 b.w. d−1.