John Bruton
Ceist:161 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children if endocrine disrupting chemicals are present in any food on sale here. [14474/01]
Written Answers. - Endocrine Disruptive Chemicals.
An endocrine disrupter is an exogenous substance or mixture that alters function(s) of the body's endocrine system and consequently causes adverse health effects in an intact organism or its progeny, or (sub) populations. The endocrine system is the complex biochemical signalling system mediated by hor mones. Alteration of endocrine function caused by an endocrine disrupter may be through interference with the synthesis, secretion, transport, binding, action or elimination of natural hormones in the body that are responsible for the maintenance of homeostasis, reproduction, development and-or behaviour.
Industrial chemicals, household chemicals and chemicals in the environment, pollutants or natural contaminants, can be endocrine disrupters that mimic, enhance, called an agonist, or inhibit, called an antagonist, the action of hormones. The toxicity of a chemical does not mean that its presence in food is unsafe. For example, common salt is toxic at high levels but because these levels are rarely encountered in foods it is generally regarded as safe. Therefore, dose, body burden, timing, frequency and duration of exposure at critical periods of life are important considerations for assessing adverse effects of chemicals in foodstuffs, including endocrine disrupters.
Endocrine disrupting chemicals are present in foods on sale in Ireland as they are in all other countries. Some of them are natural constituents of foods, for example, phytoestrogens in soya, some are industrial chemicals found in foods, for example, polychlorinated biphenyls, and others come from contact with food packaging material. Although there are associations between endocrine disrupting chemicals so far investigated and human health disturbances, a causative role of these chemicals in diseases and abnormalities possibly related to an endocrine disturbance has not been verified. Therefore, the general response of European food safety authorities is to minimise the exposure of the population whilst recognising that a zero exposure level is not achievable.
In Ireland the Food Safety Authority and its agents monitor foodstuffs for these chemicals and use these data to assess exposure. Action is taken on the basis of exposure and is aimed at minimising the levels of these chemicals in certain foodstuffs.
With regard to endocrine disrupting chemicals from packaging material, the authority has been working with the health boards to establish monitoring capability within the Public Analysts Laboratory Service. Resources have been made available and the PAL Service expects to be in a position to start monitoring this area in 2002.