Toxins In Food

While systems such as GMP and HACCP assure a high standard of food quality, foodborne poisonings still pose a serious hazard to the consumer's health. The lack of knowledge among some producers and consumers regarding the risks and benefits related to food makes it imperative to provide updated information in order to improve food safety. To

The prevalence of naturally occurring toxins in plant and animal foods represents one of the most significant food safety issues, drawing the attention of both scientists and regulators alike. This unexplored area related to food quality is indeed a big concern for consumers, various regulatory authorities, and food industries. Apart from essential nutrients, several food crops are capable of producing a vast array of nonnutritious secondary metabolic products. These toxins produced as secondary metabolites have the potential to exhibit both beneficial and deleterious effects in both human beings and animals. Nevertheless, there has been huge progress in agricultural practices and food processing technologies, but still the number of nonnutritive substances and naturally derived toxins persist in our diet. Handbook of Plant and Animal Toxins in Food: Occurrence, Toxicity, and Prevention, focuses on various selected toxins in foods derived from plants as well as animals. The prominent plant toxins include solanine and chaconine, mushroom toxins, phytates, tannins, oxalates, goitrogens, gossypol, phytohemagglutinins, erucic acid, saponins, cyanogenic glycosides, enzyme inhibitors, BOAA (lathyrogens), toxic amino acids and toxic fatty acids. The prominent animal toxins covered in the book include various seafood toxins, shellfish toxins and biogenic amines. Key Features: Presents complete information about a plethora of toxins Provides quick and easy access to data on major plant and animal toxins Covers distribution of toxins in the plant and animal kingdom Provides comprehensive information on chemistry, safety and precautions of each toxin Commencing with a brief introduction of food toxins, this book is designed in such a way that the readers will be introduced to toxicity, safety and occurrence of each toxin selected. It also discusses the in-depth detailed information on food poisoning and its prevention. The book will also shed light on foodborne illness associated with toxins. The primary audience for this work will be food scientists, food toxicologists, university scholars and college students. Furthermore, the book will be of immense help for public health officials, pharmacologists, and food safety officers who are involved with enforcing regulations meant to ensure the safety of a particular food

This book discusses different aspects of contamination in Indian food products. Particular attention is given to the presence and analytical detection of detrimental substances such as pesticides, mycotoxins and other biologically-produced toxins, food chemicals and additives with natural or industrial origin. Furthermore, the book addresses the production and the commercial exploitation of native botanical ingredients, and the question if such ingredients should be regarded as foods or drugs. It also sheds light on chemical aspects of organic farming practices in India. Readers will also find information on pesticides and other detrimental chemicals detection in Indian farming. The authors present a useful opinion on how and why food contaminants can lead to border rejections during export, in particular to the European Union.

Food Toxicants Analysis covers different aspects from the field of analytical food toxicology including emerging analytical techniques and applications to detect food allergens, genetically modified organisms, and novel ingredients (including those of functional foods). Focus will be on natural toxins in food plants and animals, cancer modulating substances, microbial toxins in foods (algal, fungal, and bacterial) and all groups of contaminants (i.e., pesticides), persistent organic pollutants, metals, packaging materials, hormones and animal drug residues. The first section describes the current status of the regulatory framework, including the key principles of the EU food law, food safety, and the main mechanisms of enforcement. The second section addresses validation and quality assurance in food toxicants analysis and comprises a general discussion on the use of risk analysis in establishing priorities, the selection and quality control of available analytical techniques. The third section addresses new issues in food toxicant analysis including food allergens and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The fourth section covers the analysis of organic food toxicants. * step-by-step guide to the use of food analysis techniques * eighteen chapters covering emerging fields in food toxicants analysis * assesses the latest techniques in the field of inorganic analysis

This volume describes some of the new research published since volume 1 of the series, Plant and fungal toxins , was published in 1983. A few chapters update topics previously treated, but most describe in depth the toxicologic and chemical aspects of other topics. Thus volumes 1 and 6 together prov

Process-Induced Food Toxicants combines the analytical, health, and risk management issues relating to all of the currently known processing-induced toxins that may be present in common foods. It considers the different processing methods used in the manufacture of foods, including thermal treatment, drying, fermentation, preservation, fat processing, and high hydrostatic pressure processing, and the potential contaminants for each method. The book discusses the analysis, formation, mitigation, health risks, and risk management of each hazardous compound. Also discussed are new technologies and the impact of processing on nutrients and allergens.

Analysis of Food Toxins and Toxicants consists of five sections, providing up-to-date descriptions of the analytical approaches used to detect a range of food toxins. Part I reviews the recent developments in analytical technology including sample pre-treatment and food additives. Part II covers the novel analysis of microbial and plant toxins including plant pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Part III focuses on marine toxins in fish and shellfish. Part IV discusses biogenic amines and common food toxicants, such as pesticides and heavy metals. Part V summarizes quality assurance and the recent developments in regulatory limits for toxins, toxicants and allergens, including discussions on laboratory accreditation and reference materials.

“An enlightening and deeply disturbing account” of the dangerous chemicals that have infiltrated our food, by the Rachel Carson Prize–winning journalist (Booklist). Our Daily Poison is “a gripping and urgent book” for anyone concerned about democracy, corporate power, or public health (Raj Patel, author of Stuffed and Starved). In it, award-winning journalist and filmmaker Marie-Monique Robin travels across North America, Europe, and Asia to document the shocking array of chemicals we encounter in our daily lives—from the pesticides that blanket our crops to the additives and plastics that contaminate our food—and their effects on our health over time. Following the trail of the synthetic molecules in our environment and our food, Robin traces the ugly history of industrial chemical production, as well as the shoddy regulatory system for chemical products that still operates today. Using scientific studies, expert testimony, and interviews with farmworkers suffering from acute chronic poisoning, Robin demonstrates how corporate interests—and our own ignorance—may be costing us our lives. “What Rachel Carson’s groundbreaking Silent Spring did for the environmental movement, Robin is doing for awareness of toxins in the food chain.” —Publishers Weekly “This may be one of the most important books of the year.” —Kirkus Reviews “Full of facts, stories, and wisdom.” —The Huffington Post