Dioxin and dioxin-like compounds, or DLCs, are found throughout the environment, in soil, water, and air. People are exposed to these unintentional environmental contaminants primarily through the food supply, although at low levels, particularly by eating animal fat in meat, dairy products, and fish. While the amount of DLCs in the environment has declined since the late 1970s, the public continues to be concerned about the safety of the food supply and the potential adverse health effects of DLC exposure, especially in groups such as developing fetuses and infants, who are more sensitive to the toxic effects of these compounds.

Dioxins and Dioxin-like Compounds in the Food Supply: Strategies to Decrease Exposure, recommends policy options to reduce exposure to these contaminants while considering how implementing these options could both reduce health risks and affect nutrition, particularly in sensitive and highly exposed groups, if dietary changes are suggested.

Contents

• THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES
• COMMITTEE ON THE IMPLICATIONS OF DIOXIN IN THE FOOD SUPPLY
• FOOD AND NUTRITION BOARD
• Reviewers
• Preface
• Acronyms and Glossary
• GLOSSARY
• Executive Summary
• 1. Introduction
  • BACKGROUND
  • THE COMMITTEE AND ITS CHARGE
  • ORGANIZATION OF THE REPORT
  • REFERENCES
• 2. A Summary of Dioxin Reports, Assessments, and Regulatory Activity
  • EVALUATIONS BY GOVERNMENTAL BODIES
  • DIOXIN REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINES
  • REFERENCES
• 3. Sources of Dioxins and Dioxin-like Compounds in the Environment
  • MAJOR SOURCES OF DLCs IN THE ENVIRONMENT
  • GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE QUANTITATIVE INVENTORY OF RELEASES OF DLCs
  • ENVIRONMENTAL FATE AND TRANSPORT OF DLCs
  • ENTRY OF DLCs INTO THE FOOD CHAIN
  • REFERENCES
• 4. Animal Production Systems
  • DIRECT AND INDIRECT DLC PATHWAYS INTO FOOD PRODUCTS
  • LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION SYSTEMS
  • ANIMAL HUSBANDRY PRACTICES
  • FISH AND SEAFOOD
  • WILD ANIMALS
  • ANIMAL FEEDS
  • FOOD PROCESSING AND PACKAGING
  • IMPORTED FOODS
  • SUMMARY
  • REFERENCES
• 5. Human Foods and Food-Consumption Patterns
  • DIETARY-INTAKE PATTERNS
  • CURRENT DIETARY PATTERNS
  • DIETARY GUIDANCE
  • SUMMARY
  • REFERENCES
• 6. Framework for the Development of Policy Options to Reduce Exposure to Dioxins and Dioxin-like Compounds
  • CATEGORIZING POSSIBLE RISK-MANAGEMENT OPTIONS
  • THE RANGE OF POSSIBLE RISK-MANAGEMENT OPTIONS
  • LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERVENTIONS
  • ANALYTICAL TOOLS FOR HEALTH RISK DECISION-MAKING
  • RISK-RELATIONSHIP ANALYSIS
  • OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED FRAMEWORK
  • RESEARCH NEEDS
  • CONCLUSION
  • REFERENCES
• 7. Policy Options to Reduce Exposure to Dioxins and Dioxin-like Compounds
  • INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
  • ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS
  • PATHWAY I: ANIMAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS
  • PATHWAY II: HUMAN FOODS
  • PATHWAY III: FOOD-CONSUMPTION PATTERNS
• 8. Risk-Management Recommendations and Research Priorities
  • GENERAL STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS
  • HIGH-PRIORITY RISK-MANAGEMENT INTERVENTIONS
  • OTHER RISK-MANAGEMENT INTERVENTIONS THAT DESERVE CONSIDERATION
  • RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT TO SUPPORT RISK MANAGEMENT
  • CONCLUSION
• A Data Tables
• B Total Diet Study Report: Dioxin Concentrations in Foods
• C Open Session and Workshop Agendas
• D Committee Member Biographical Sketches

Support for this project was provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture under contract number 223-99-2321. The views presented in this report are those of the Institute of Medicine Committee on the Implications of Dioxin in the Food Supply and are not necessarily those of the funding agencies.

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.