Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality

Parabens are used as preservatives in many thousands of cosmetic, food and pharmaceutical products to which the human population is exposed. Although recent reports of the oestrogenic properties of parabens have challenged current concepts of their toxicity in these consumer products, the question remains as to whether any of the parabens can accumulate intact in the body from the long-term, low-dose levels to which humans are exposed. Initial studies reported here show that parabens can be extracted from human breast tissue and detected by thin-layer chromatography. More detailed studies enabled identification and measurement of mean concentrations of individual parabens in samples of 20 human breast tumours by high-pressure liquid chromatography followed by tandem mass spectrometry. The mean concentration of parabens in these 20 human breast tumours was found to be 20.6 +/- 4.2 ng x g(-1) tissue. Comparison of individual parabens showed that methylparaben was present at the highest level (with a mean value of 12.8 +/- 2.2 ng x g(-1) tissue) and represents 62% of the total paraben recovered in the extractions. These studies demonstrate that parabens can be found intact in the human breast and this should open the way technically for more detailed information to be obtained on body burdens of parabens and in particular whether body burdens are different in cancer from those in normal tissues.

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Concentrations of parabens in human breast tumours

SUMMARY The Scientific Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in Contact with Food (the Panel) is asked to advise the Commission on the implications for human health of chemically defined flavouring substances used in or on foodstuffs in the Member States. In particular, the Scientific Panel is asked to evaluate six flavouring substances in the Flavouring Group Evaluation 16, Revision 1 (FGE.16Rev1), using the procedure as referred to in the Commission Regulation (EC) No 1565/2000. These six flavouring substances belong to chemical group 21, Annex I of the Commission Regulation (EC) No 1565/2000. The present Flavouring Group Evaluation deals with six aromatic ketones. None of the six flavouring substances can exist as geometrical or optical isomers. Five of the six flavouring substances are classified into structural class I and one is classified into structural class III. Four of the six flavouring substances in the present group have been reported to occur naturally in a wide range of food items. In its evaluation, the Panel as a default used the Maximised Survey-derived Daily Intake (MSDI) approach to estimate the per capita intakes of the flavouring substances in Europe. However, when the Panel examined the information provided by the European Flavouring Industry on the

Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in Contact with Food

An updated review of the genotoxicity studies with acrylamide is provided. Then, using data from the studies generating quantitative information concerning heritability of genetic effects, an assessment of the heritable genetic risk presented by acrylamide is presented. The review offers a discussion of the reactions and possible mechanisms of genotoxic action by acrylamide and its epoxide metabolite glycidamide. Several genetic risk approaches are discussed, including the parallelogram, direct (actually a modified direct), and doubling dose approaches. Using data from the specific-locus and heritable translocation assays, the modified direct and doubling dose approaches are utilized to quantitate genetic risk. Exposures of male parents to acrylamide via inhalation, ingestion, and dermal routes are also quantitated. With these approaches and measurements and their underlying assumptions concerning extrapolation factors (including germ cell stage specificity, DNA repair variability, locus specificity), number of human loci associated with dominant disease alleles, and spontaneous mutation rates, an assessment of heritable genetic risk for humans is calculated for the three exposure scenarios. The calculated estimates for offspring from fathers exposed to acrylamide via drinking water are up to three offspring potentially affected with induced genetic disease per 10(8) offspring. Estimates for inhalation or dermal exposures suggest higher risks for induced genetic disease in offspring from fathers exposed in occupational settings.

Acrylamide: a review of its genotoxicity and an assessment of heritable genetic risk.

The Scientific Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in Contact with Food (the Panel) is asked to advise the Commission on the implications for human health of chemically defined flavouring substances used in or on foodstuffs in the Member States. In particular, the Scientific Panel is asked to evaluate the 47 flavouring substances in this Flavouring Group Evaluation 6, Revision 1 (FGE.06Rev1), using the procedure as referred to in the Commission Regulation EC No 1565/2000. These 47 flavouring substances belong to chemical groups 1 and 4 of Annex I of the Commission Regulation (EC) No 1565/2000.

Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in contact with Food (AFC) on a request from the Commission, Flavouring Group Evaluation 22: Ring-substituted phenolic substances from chemical groups 21 and 25: Question No EFSA-Q-2003-165

Mutagenicity tests on organic chemical contaminants in city water and related compounds. II. Chromosome aberration tests in cultured mammalian cells

[Cytotoxicity test on medical drugs--chromosome aberration tests with Chinese hamster cells in vitro (author's transl)].

Cytogenetic effects of gaseous and volatile chemicals on mammalian cells in vitro and in vivo. II. Micronucleus tests in mice

Cytogenetic effects of gaseous and volatile chemicals on mammalian cells in vitro and in vivo. I. Chromosome aberration tests in cultured mammalian cells

Matsuoka A

Papers

Mutagenicity tests on organic chemical contaminants in city water and related compounds. II. Chromosome aberration tests in cultured mammalian cells

[Cytotoxicity test on medical drugs--chromosome aberration tests with Chinese hamster cells in vitro (author's transl)].

Cytogenetic effects of gaseous and volatile chemicals on mammalian cells in vitro and in vivo. II. Micronucleus tests in mice

Cytogenetic effects of gaseous and volatile chemicals on mammalian cells in vitro and in vivo. I. Chromosome aberration tests in cultured mammalian cells