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Chapter 14 Synthetic toxicants and their health implications

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Food Safety and Toxicology
This chapter is in the book Food Safety and Toxicology

Abstract

Synthetic toxicants are environmentally hazardous chemical agents that can contaminate abiotic systems (water, soil, and air), creating negative health impacts in biotic ecosystems (animals, food, plants, and microorganisms). While the point sources release encompasses synthetic toxicants from a single, confined, and identifiable channel, the nonpoint toxicants are from many diffused sources and are usually caused by atmospheric deposition. The release of synthetic toxicants into the environment has been linked to several environmental disasters with accompanying health implications relating to cancer, food intoxication, gastrointestinal infections, neurological and kidney damage, congenital defects, and reproductive issues. This chapter examined selected toxicological disasters over the years, their impacts on the environment, and their associated health implications. Also, background information on the type of synthetic toxicants and underlying mechanisms of action, food adulteration, and legislation against them in several countries were discussed. As synthetic toxicants have continuously been released in higher concentrations into the ecosystem, threatening humans’ health, it is hoped that the recognition of these threats would drive toxicological studies into continuous monitoring and assessment of their deleterious impact.

Abstract

Synthetic toxicants are environmentally hazardous chemical agents that can contaminate abiotic systems (water, soil, and air), creating negative health impacts in biotic ecosystems (animals, food, plants, and microorganisms). While the point sources release encompasses synthetic toxicants from a single, confined, and identifiable channel, the nonpoint toxicants are from many diffused sources and are usually caused by atmospheric deposition. The release of synthetic toxicants into the environment has been linked to several environmental disasters with accompanying health implications relating to cancer, food intoxication, gastrointestinal infections, neurological and kidney damage, congenital defects, and reproductive issues. This chapter examined selected toxicological disasters over the years, their impacts on the environment, and their associated health implications. Also, background information on the type of synthetic toxicants and underlying mechanisms of action, food adulteration, and legislation against them in several countries were discussed. As synthetic toxicants have continuously been released in higher concentrations into the ecosystem, threatening humans’ health, it is hoped that the recognition of these threats would drive toxicological studies into continuous monitoring and assessment of their deleterious impact.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Foreword V
  3. Contents VII
  4. List of contributors XI
  5. Introduction XVII
  6. Chapter 1 Hazard in food and global state of food safety 1
  7. Chapter 2 Bacterial pathogens of food importance 11
  8. Chapter 3 Viruses and food safety 37
  9. Chapter 4 Zoonoses: implications for food safety 67
  10. Chapter 5 Biofilm production by pathogens and control 105
  11. Chapter 6 Bacteria stress adaptation: implication and control 127
  12. Chapter 7 Foodborne illnesses: prevention and control 149
  13. Chapter 8 The applications of DNA-based techniques to food safety 175
  14. Chapter 9 Consumer’s handling of food and food safety knowledge 207
  15. Chapter 10 The economic cost of food recall 223
  16. Chapter 11 Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) and Food Safety Management Systems 243
  17. Chapter 12 Food safety culture and enhancing food employee compliance 263
  18. Chapter 13 Natural food toxicants and health implications 283
  19. Chapter 14 Synthetic toxicants and their health implications 317
  20. Chapter 15 Food allergies: causes and control 341
  21. Chapter 16 Risk assessment and risk analysis for chemical hazards 357
  22. Chapter 17 Risk assessment and risk analysis for biological hazards: a systematic literature review 365
  23. Chapter 18 Emerging food risk: factors that affect food security and human health 375
  24. Predicting food safety using systems approach 387
  25. Chapter 20 Food safety legislation and Food Safety Modernization Act 405
  26. Chapter 21 The role of good agricultural practices (GAPs) and good manufacturing practices (GMPs) in food safety 417
  27. Chapter 22 Food fraud: causes and control 433
  28. Chapter 23 Enhancement of food safety through technological innovations 455
  29. Conclusion 503
  30. Index 505
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110748345-014

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Foreword V
  3. Contents VII
  4. List of contributors XI
  5. Introduction XVII
  6. Chapter 1 Hazard in food and global state of food safety 1
  7. Chapter 2 Bacterial pathogens of food importance 11
  8. Chapter 3 Viruses and food safety 37
  9. Chapter 4 Zoonoses: implications for food safety 67
  10. Chapter 5 Biofilm production by pathogens and control 105
  11. Chapter 6 Bacteria stress adaptation: implication and control 127
  12. Chapter 7 Foodborne illnesses: prevention and control 149
  13. Chapter 8 The applications of DNA-based techniques to food safety 175
  14. Chapter 9 Consumer’s handling of food and food safety knowledge 207
  15. Chapter 10 The economic cost of food recall 223
  16. Chapter 11 Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) and Food Safety Management Systems 243
  17. Chapter 12 Food safety culture and enhancing food employee compliance 263
  18. Chapter 13 Natural food toxicants and health implications 283
  19. Chapter 14 Synthetic toxicants and their health implications 317
  20. Chapter 15 Food allergies: causes and control 341
  21. Chapter 16 Risk assessment and risk analysis for chemical hazards 357
  22. Chapter 17 Risk assessment and risk analysis for biological hazards: a systematic literature review 365
  23. Chapter 18 Emerging food risk: factors that affect food security and human health 375
  24. Predicting food safety using systems approach 387
  25. Chapter 20 Food safety legislation and Food Safety Modernization Act 405
  26. Chapter 21 The role of good agricultural practices (GAPs) and good manufacturing practices (GMPs) in food safety 417
  27. Chapter 22 Food fraud: causes and control 433
  28. Chapter 23 Enhancement of food safety through technological innovations 455
  29. Conclusion 503
  30. Index 505
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