Effects of steaming on contaminants of emerging concern levels in seafood

Abstract

Seafood consumption is a major route for human exposure to environmental contaminants of emerging concern (CeCs). However, toxicological information about the presence of CeCs in seafood is still insufficient, especially considering the effect of cooking procedures on contaminant levels. This study is one among a few who evaluated the effect of steaming on the levels of different CeCs (toxic elements, PFCs, PAHs, musk fragrances and UV-filters) in commercially relevant seafood in Europe, and estimate the potential risks associated with its consumption for consumers. In most cases, an increase in contaminant levels was observed after steaming, though varying according to contaminant and seafood species (e.g. iAs, perfluorobutanoate, dibenzo(ah)anthracene in Mytilus edulis, HHCB-Lactone in Solea sp., 2-Ethylhexyl salicylate in Lophius piscatorius). Furthermore, the increase in some CeCs, like Pb, MeHg, iAs, Cd and carcinogenic PAHs, in seafood after steaming reveals that adverse health effects can never be excluded, regardless contaminants concentration. However, the risk of adverse effects can vary. The drastic changes induced by steaming suggest that the effect of cooking should be integrated in food risk assessment, as well as accounted in CeCs regulations and recommendations issued by food safety authorities, in order to avoid over/underestimation of risks for consumer health.

Keywords: 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethylcyclopenta-(g)-2-benzopyran; 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethylcyclopenta-(g)-2-benzopyran-1-one; 2,2-Dihydroxy-4,4-dimethoxybenzophenone; 2-Ethylhexyl salicylate; 3,3,5-Trimethylcyclohexylsalicylate; 3-(4-Methylbenzylidene)camphor; 4-MBC; 6,7-dihydro-1,1,2,3,3-pentamethyl-4(5H)-indanone; 7-acetyl-1,1,3,4,4,6-hexamethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene; AHTN; ANOVA; AsV; BMDL; BP1; BaP; Benzophenone 1; Cd; CeCs; Cr; Cu -copper; DBENZO; DHA; DHMB; DORM-4; DPMI; EC; ECHA; EFSA; EHS; EPA; ERM-BC211; European Food Safety Authority; European chemicals agency; European commission; GC-MS; GC–IT-MS/MS; HBGVs; HHCB; HHCB-lactone; HPLC; HS; Hexyl 2-[4-(diethylamino)-2-hydroxybenzoyl]benzoate; Hg; ICP-MS; ISTD; Kow; LOD; LOQ; MOE; MS- mass spectrometry; MeHg; Musk fragrances and UV-Filters; NOAEL; OC; Octocrylene; PAH2; PAH4; PAH8; PAHs; PCBs; PCPs; PFBA; PFBS; PFCs; PFDS; PFDcA; PFDoA; PFHpA; PFHpS; PFHxA; PFHxS; PFNA; PFOA; PFOS; PFPeA; PFTeA; PFTrA; PFUnA; POPs; Pb; QuEChERS; RSD; Seafood; Steaming; Sum of benzo(a)anthracene; TAs; TDI; THg; TORT-2; TWI; Toxic elements; UF; UL; analysis of variance; arsenic V; benchmark dose lower limit; benz(a)anthracene; benzo(a)pyrene; benzo(b)fluoranthene; benzo(ghi)perylene; benzo(k)fluoranthene; cadmium; chromium; chrysene; contaminants of emerging concern; dSPE; dibenzo(a,h)anthracene; dispersive solid-phase extraction; docosahexaenoic acid; dogfish muscle reference material; easy; effective; eicosapentaenoic aci; gas chromatography-ion trap-tandem mass spectrometr; gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; health-based guidance values; high performance liquid chromatography; iAs; indeno(123cd)pyrene; inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer; inorganic arsenic; internal standards; lead; limit of detection; limit of quantification; liquid-chromatography-ion trap tandem mass spectrometry; lobster hepatopancreas reference material; margins of exposure; mercury; methyl mercury; n-octanol/water partition coefficientLC-IT-MS/MS; no observed adverse effect level; perfluorinated compounds; perfluorobutane sulfonate; perfluorobutanoate; perfluoroctanoate; perfluorodecane sulfonate; perfluorodecanoate; perfluorododecanoate; perfluoroheptane sulfonate; perfluoroheptanoate; perfluorohexane sulfonate; perfluorohexanoate; perfluorononanoate; perfluorooctane sulfonate; perfluoropentanoate; perfluorotetradecanoate; perfluorotridecanoate; perfluorundecanoate; persistent organic pollutants; personal care products; polychlorinated biphenyls; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; quick; relative standard deviation; rice reference material; rugged and safe; safety/uncertainty factor; sum of benzo(a)pyrene; tolerable daily intake; tolerable upper intake level; tolerable weekly intake; total arsenic; total mercury.