What is food toxicology ?
Toxicology maybe defined as the study of the adverse effects of chemicals on living organisms.
Its historical origins may be traced to the time when our prehistoric ancestors attempted to eat a variety of substances in order to obtain adequate food. In its modern context, toxicology draws heavily on knowledge in chemical and biological fields and seeks a detailed understanding of toxic effects. The toxins which effect the body are toxicants.
One of the fundamental concepts of toxicology is that the dose determines the toxicity. As noted by Paracelsus (1493—1541). “All substances are poisons; there is none which is not a poison
Thus, the answer to the questions for every food, “Is this substance toxic?” “Yes, if taken in a large enough dose.”
There are two types of toxins.
· Natural produced by another organism.
· Anthropogenic produced during or due to diverse human activities (Man made).
Food toxicants can be divided into three groups:
1. Unconditional (real) toxicants
Which, in normally accessible foods and quantities, are unconditionally either acutely or/and chronically toxic for every human or even mammal. In the case of these poisons (botulinum toxin, tetrodotoxin, anatoxins, dioxins, mycotoxins, PAHs, etc.), no risk and benefit problems usually arise, although many of them can in small doses serve as remedies. A substance that, being used in sufficiently high quantities, leads an organism out of equilibrium may help in returning it back to equilibrium if administered in lower doses.
2. Conditional (possible, probable) toxicants
Conditional toxicants are those for which the risk and benefit studies are essential and the debate about the usability and acceptable doses of these toxicants may last for years. Sometimes, toxicological science alternately announces them toxic and nontoxic in the normally applicable doses and the consumption of the food matrix. For example, multiple normal food components, such as caffeine or coumarin, and food additives, such as colorants, synthetic sweeteners, flavor enhancers, nitrite ions, and so forth.
3. Selective toxicants
Toxins as lactose in the case of respective intolerance, phytanic acid in the case of Refsum disease, or vicin and covicin in the case of favism. Usually, these toxicities are based on genetically governed enzyme deficiencies and those substances are poisonous only for a definite group of humans.
The toxicity of a substance depends on many different factors, such as
Chemical structure of the compound, distribution of charges in the molecule, and hence, the polarity and reactivity.
• Route of administration (i.e., the substance may be applied to the skin, ingested, inhaled, or injected).
• Period (time) of exposure (a brief encounter or a long-term one).
• Number of exposures (a single dose or multiple doses over time).
• Physical form of the toxicant (solid, liquid, or gas).
• Genetic constitution of an individual, an individual’s overall health, and so forth.
The effects of toxicant can be observed and determined in these 3 ways
1. Acute
Develops quickly, usually with severe symptoms. For example, an exposure to sufficiently high doses of potassium cyanide is followed by death within few minutes.
2. Subacute
The effects are generally the same as in the case of an acute response, but with weaker symptoms which establish over a longer period (during some weeks).
3. Chronic
Symptoms develop slowly in the case of a systematic long-term absorption of relatively small amounts of the toxicant. At the time of diagnosis, confusion with other pathologies may occur. For example, a tumour initiated by the ingestion of aflatoxins may develop into cancer over decades.
There are several doses for a toxin like Absolute (LD100), minimal (LDmin), and median (LD50) lethal doses can be distinguished.
For example - In the experimental toxicology, LD50, causing the death of 50% of animals of a test group at an acute contact with a toxicant, has been the most popular dose, LD100 belongs to the most durable, and LDmin to the weakest animal. Instead of doses, concentrations can be used—the respective parameters will be LC50, LC100, and LCmin (mmol/L, μg/m3)
In conclusion, food toxicology is a vital field of study that focuses on understanding the harmful effects of various substances present in food and their impact on human health. Through rigorous research and analysis, food toxicologists strive to identify and assess potential risks associated with in our food supply.
Comments