Background: The compound 3-monochloropropano-1,2-diol, (3-MCPD) is a contaminant found in foodstuffs that arises during food processing and storage. Conditions condusive to the former are low pH and a high temperature and it can also be formed during manufacturing, ie. food processing. Those favouring the latter are dampness, raised temperatures, packaging conditions and storage duration. For the first time, high levels of 3-MCPD have been reported in soy sauces and hydrolysate products of vegetable protein manufactured through using acid hydrolysis. Animal studies on rats and mice have found that 3-MCPD is a carcinogen, however it is not genotoxic.
Objectives: To determine 3-MCPD levels in bakery products currently on the market and to estimate the resulting exposure to the those consumer groups most vulnerable. Results from a two year assessment of this contaminant are so presented.
Material and methods: Concentrations of 3-MCPD were measured in 244 samples of bakery foodstuff products found on the market which included; sponge cake, biscuits, cakes, crackers, breadsticks and rusks. Sampling was undertaken by the State Sanitary Inspectorate and analyses were performed by an accredited Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) method. The exposure was assessed by comparing the accepted Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) for 3-MCPD with the different conditions it occurred in, the consumption of 3-MCPD in the aforementioned foodstuffs and the various consumer groups.
Results: Levels of 3-MCPD that exceeded the limits of quantification in the studied foodstuffs were found in 91 out of 244 samples, (ie. 37.3%). These samples included 11 sponge cakes (11.3%), 27 biscuits (55.2%), 10 crackers (8.33%), 17 breadsticks (8.93%), 21 rusks (63.6%) and 5 cakes (3.13%). The highest numbers of samples containing more than 10 (> or = 10) microg/ kg of 3-MCPD were successively found in the following; breadsticks (79%), biscuits (75%), rusks (33%), crackers (33%), cakes (31%), biscuits (24%) and sponge cakes (4%). In 60 samples (24.6%), levels of 3- MCPD were higher than 10 microg/kg. It was estimated that the mean daily adult exposure to 3-MCPD is 0.008 - 0.013 microg/kg body weight/day ie. 0.4 - 0.65% of the TDI, however at high exposures this became 6% of the TDI. In the children's group, the mean exposure was 0.022 - 0.036 microg/kg body weight/day ie. 1.1 - 1.8% of the TDI whilst at high exposure it became 16.4% of the TDI.
Conclusions: The results demonstrated that sample levels of 3- MCPD in bakery products do not constitute a significant health risk to consumers.