Surveillance of potentially hazardous chemicals in food in the United Kingdom†

This paper is based on information presented at a conference in Zadar, Yugoslavia in 1990, organized by WHO (Europe) and use of the information is with their kind permission.

Abstract

Surveillance of chemical contaminants in food plays an important role in helping to ensure a safe food supply in those countries that undertake it. This paper reviews the methods used in the UK as a means of highlighting the essential elements required by any food chemical surveillance programme. The following topics have been covered: quantifying food consumption, setting priorities in food surveillance, developing a common approach to the surveillance of different chemicals in the food supply (including the use of Total and Duplicate Diet Studies), estimating human intakes of chemicals from the diet, developing suitably sensitive and reliable methods of analysis, obtaining representative samples, and assessing and managing risk.

Keywords:

• Chemical contaminants
• food surveillance
• analysis
• risk
• intake

Notes

This paper is based on information presented at a conference in Zadar, Yugoslavia in 1990, organized by WHO (Europe) and use of the information is with their kind permission.

To whom reprint requests should be addressed (R218, Ergon House, c/o Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR, UK).