Suchergebnisse

Zusammenfassung Seit dem 1996 aufgehobenen Anbauverbot für Pflanzen der Spezies Cannabis sativa L. (sog. Faserhanf) mit geringem Gehalt des psychoaktiven Inhaltsstoffs Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) wird eine Vielzahl daraus hergestellter Lebensmittel angeboten. Als Beurteilungshilfe für die amtliche Lebensmittelüberwachung werden in dieser Übersichtsarbeit alle Aspekte von Hanf als Lebensmittel diskutiert, eine Einführung in die Botanik der Hanfpflanze gegeben und die aktuelle Gesetzeslage in Deutschland und der Europäischen Union dargestellt. Forensisch-toxikologische Aspekte insbesondere hinsichtlich des Einflusses von Hanflebensmittel auf Drogentests werden beschrieben und eine Übersicht über die analytischen Möglichkeiten zur Absicherung der THC-Richtwerte gegeben. Abschließend werden Vorschläge für die lebensmittelchemische und rechtliche Beurteilung von Hanflebensmitteln gemacht. Summary In 1996, the prohibition of the cultivation of plants of the species Cannabis sativa L. (so-called fibre hemp) with minor content of the psychoactive Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) was lifted. Nowadays, a wide variety of hemp food products is offered on the market. As a help for evaluation of such products, this review article provides the official food control with information on all aspects of hemp as foodstuff. An introduction to the botany of the hemp plant and the current law situation in Germany and the European Union is presented. In particular, the forensic-toxicological aspects regarding the influence of hemp food on drug tests are described. Furthermore, an overview of the analytic techniques used to verify compliance with the guidance values is given. Finally, suggestions for the food regulatory and food chemical evaluation of hemp food products are made.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid, widely marketed to athletes for claimed effects such as decreased anxiety, fear memory extinction, anti-inflammatory properties, relief of pain and for post-exercise recovery. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has excluded CBD from its list of prohibited substances. Nevertheless, caution is currently advised for athletes intending to use the compound—except CBD, all other cannabinoids are still on the prohibited list. CBD products, specifically non-medicinal, so-called full-spectrum cannabis extracts, may contain significant levels of these substances, but also contaminations of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (>2.5 mg/day in >30% of products on the German market) potentially leading to positive doping tests. Labelled claims about CBD content and absence of THC are often false and misleading. Contaminations with the psychoactive THC can result in adverse effects on cognition and, in general, the safety profile of CBD with respect to its toxicity is a controversial topic of discussion. For these reasons, we would currently advise against the use of over-the-counter CBD products, especially those from dubious internet sources without quality control.

Objectives 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) regularly occurs in foods and in alcoholic beverages. However, the risk of HMF associated with alcohol consumption has not been systematically studied, so that this study will provide the first quantitative risk assessment of HMF for consumers of alcoholic beverages. Methods Human dietary intake of HMF via alcoholic beverages in the European Union was estimated based on WHO alcohol consumption data combined with our own survey data (n=944) and literature data (n=147) about the HMF contents of different beverage groups (beer, wine, spirits and unrecorded alcohol). The risk assessment was conducted using the margin of exposure (MOE) approach. Results For olfactory epithelium metaplasia in female mice, a benchmark dose (BMD) of 127 mg/kg bodyweight (bw)/d and a BMD lower confidence limit (BMDL) of 79 mg/kg bw/d were calculated from National Toxicology Program oral long-term animal experiments. The average human exposure to HMF from alcoholic beverages was estimated at 6.0E-3 mg/kg bw/d, which is approximately 8.5% of the total dietary exposure. In comparison of the human exposure with BMDL, the MOE was 13,167 for average alcohol consumption scenarios, which is a value that would be generally assumed as safe for threshold based compounds. Conclusions The results show that the risk from HMF to the alcohol-consuming population is rather low and the priority for risk management (e.g. to reduce the contamination) is also low. Further toxicological research about HMF is required to further elucidate its mechanism.

After having abolished the prohibition of the cultivation of the species Cannabis sativa L. (so-called fibre hemp) with minor content of the psychoactive Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a wide variety of hemp food products is currently offered on the market. In this review, an introduction to the botany of the hemp plant and the current law situation in Germany and the European Union is presented. A survey of the analytic techniques used to verify compliance with the guidance values is given and the THC content of hemp food products is discussed in regard to its toxicology. In particular, the forensic-toxicological aspects regarding the influence of hemp food on drug tests are described.

Background Societies tend to accept much higher risks for voluntary behaviours, those based on individual decisions (for example, to smoke, to consume alcohol, or to ski), than for involuntary exposure such as exposure to risks in soil, drinking water or air. In high-income societies, an acceptable risk to those voluntarily engaging in a risky behaviour seems to be about one death in 1,000 on a lifetime basis. However, drinking more than 20 g pure alcohol per day over an adult lifetime exceeds a threshold of one in 100 deaths, based on a calculation from World Health Organization data of the odds in six European countries of dying from alcohol-attributable causes at different levels of drinking. Discussion The voluntary mortality risk of alcohol consumption exceeds the risks of other lifestyle risk factors. In addition, evidence shows that the involuntary risks resulting from customary alcohol consumption far exceed the acceptable threshold for other involuntary risks (such as those established by the World Health Organization or national environmental agencies), and would be judged as not acceptable. Alcohol's exceptional status reflects vagaries of history, which have so far resulted in alcohol being exempted from key food legislation (no labelling of ingredients and nutritional information) and from international conventions governing all other psychoactive substances (both legal and illegal). This is along with special treatment of alcohol in the public health field, in part reflecting overestimation of its beneficial effect on ischaemic disease when consumed in moderation. Summary A much higher mortality risk from alcohol than from other risk factors is currently accepted by high income countries.

Der Zusammenhang zwischen Acetaldehyd aus Alkohol und Krebs: Literaturübersicht und Abschätzung der Belastungssituation für Deutschland Fragestellung: Der Konsum alkoholhaltiger Getränke wurde durch die »International Agency for Research on Cancer« als krebserregend eingestuft. Diese Arbeit versucht aufzuzeigen, dass Acetaldehyd ein wichtiger zugrundeliegender Mechanismus ist. Acetaldehyd wird zum einen beim Ethanol-Metabolismus gebildet und zum anderen als Inhaltsstoff von alkoholhaltigen Getränken direkt aufgenommen. </p><p> Methodik: Literaturübersicht zu Alkohol, Acetaldehyd und Krebs. Risikobewertung mit Schwerpunkt auf Daten zur Belastungssituation und zur Wirkungsweise. </p><p> Ergebnisse: Die wissenschaftliche Datenbasis, die eine krebserregende Wirkung von Acetaldehyd belegt, hat sich in den letzten Jahren sehr stark vergrößert. Verschiedene Szenarien der Risikobewertung überschritten ein als gesundheitlich relevant angesehenes Lebenszeit-Krebsrisiko von 1:10.000 (Durchschnittswert 8/10.000; Extremwert 4/1.000). </p><p> Schlussfolgerungen: Die Acetaldehydexposition durch Alkohol erfordert Maßnahmen im Rahmen des vorbeugenden gesundheitlichen Verbraucherschutzes. Es wird daher empfohlen, Maßnahmen zur Reduktion des Gesamtalkoholkonsums zu ergreifen und die Acetaldehydgehalte in alkoholhaltigen Getränken auf das technisch mögliche Mindestmaß zu reduzieren.

ZusammenfassungToxikologische Schwellenwerte wie die duldbare tägliche Aufnahmemenge (Acceptable Daily Intake, ADI), die akute Referenzdosis (ARfD) und die niedrigste Dosis mit beobachteter schädlicher Wirkung (Lowest Observed Adverse Effect Level, LOAEL) sind entscheidend für die Bewertung der Sicherheit von Lebensmitteln. Sie berücksichtigen potenzielle Risiken durch Kurz- und Langzeitexposition gegenüber bestimmten Inhaltsstoffen und Kontaminanten in Lebensmitteln. Dieser Artikel erläutert die Bedeutung und Verwendung dieser Schwellenwerte im Sachverständigengutachten und deren aktuelle Beurteilung in der Rechtsprechung, die zwischen Verbraucherinteressen und wirtschaftlichen Interessen von Lebensmittelbetrieben abwägen muss.

ZusammenfassungDas Vorsorgeprinzip ist in der Rechtsprechung und Gesetzgebung der Europäischen Union (EU) fest verankert. Im Lebensmittelrecht wurde das Vorsorgeprinzip in Art. 7 der Lebensmittel-Basisverordnung (EG) Nr. 178/2002 (BasisVO) etabliert. Dennoch findet das Vorsorgeprinzip sowohl in der Überwachungspraxis als auch in der nationalen Rechtsprechung nicht die angemessene Beachtung. Neben der historischen Entwicklung und der Anwendung in der nationalen und europäischen Rechtsprechung werden in diesem Beitrag die Möglichkeiten und Grenzen der Anwendung des Vorsorgeprinzips nach Art. 7 BasisVO am Beispiel von cannabidiolhaltigen (CBD) Produkten beleuchtet. Im Ergebnis wird festgestellt, dass die Behörden im Sinne des Vorsorgeprinzips aufgrund eines wahrscheinlichen Gesundheitsrisikos prioritäre Schutzmaßnahmen ergreifen können, die über die ohnehin erforderlichen Maßnahmen der Novel Food-Verordnung hinausgehen.

Formaldehyde has been classified as carcinogenic to humans (WHO IARC group 1). It causes leukaemia and nasopharyngeal cancer, and was described to regularly occur in alcoholic beverages. However, its risk associated with consumption of alcohol has not been systematically studied, so this study will provide the first risk assessment of formaldehyde for consumers of alcoholic beverages. Human dietary intake of formaldehyde via alcoholic beverages in the European Union was estimated based on WHO alcohol consumption data and literature on formaldehyde contents of different beverage groups (beer, wine, spirits, and unrecorded alcohol). The risk assessment was conducted using the margin of exposure (MOE) approach with benchmark doses (BMD) for 10 % effect obtained from dose-response modelling of animal experiments. For tumours in male rats, a BMD of 30 mg kg-1 body weight per day and a "BMD lower confidence limit" (BMDL) of 23 mg kg-1 d-1 were calculated from available long-term animal experiments. The average human exposure to formaldehyde from alcoholic beverages was estimated at 8·10-5 mg kg-1 d-1. Comparing the human exposure with BMDL, the resulting MOE was above 200,000 for average scenarios. Even in the worst-case scenarios, the MOE was never below 10,000, which is considered to be the threshold for public health concerns. The risk assessment shows that the cancer risk from formaldehyde to the alcohol-consuming population is negligible and the priority for risk management (e.g. to reduce the contamination) is very low. The major risk in alcoholic beverages derives from ethanol and acetaldehyde.