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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fargo, North Dakota » Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center » Animal Metabolism-Agricultural Chemicals Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #163767
Title: A SURVEY OF PCDD/FS AND CO-PLANAR PCBS IN THE US MEAT AND POULTRY SUPPLY IN 2002-2003

Author
item Huwe, Janice
item HOFFMAN, MICHAEL - USDA FSIS
item DEYRUP, CINDY - USDA FSIS
item HULEBAK, KAREN - USDA FSIS
item Larsen, Gerald
item ZAYLSKIE, RICHARD - RETIRED USDA ARS
item Lorentzsen, Margaret
item CLINCH, NELSON - USDA FSIS

Submitted to: Organohalogen Compounds
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/16/2004
Publication Date: 6/16/2004
Citation: Huwe, J.K., Hoffman, M.K., Deyrup, C., Hulebak, K., Larsen, G.L., Zaylskie, R., Lorentzsen, M.K., Clinch, N. 2004. A survey of pcdd/fs and co-planar pcbs in the us meat and poultry supply in 2002-2003. Organohalogen Compounds 66:1942-1946.

Interpretive Summary: Polychlorinated dibenzo p dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans are ubiquitous environmental pollutants which are considered to be potential chronic human toxins. Humans are exposed to these compounds (dioxins) predominately through their diet. Periodic surveys of the food supply are useful to measure changes in dioxin levels that may occur over time. The USDA Agricultural Research Service and Food Safety and Inspection Service have now conducted a survey and obtained information about the current 2003 levels of dioxins in domestically produced meat and poultry. Over 500 samples of beef, pork, chicken, and turkey were collected from federally inspected slaughter houses across the country and analyzed for dioxins. The results indicated that pork, chicken, and turkey may have 50% less dioxin contamination than ten years ago when a similar survey was conducted. The dioxin levels in beef may not have changed as dramatically.

Technical Abstract: Periodic surveys of the food supply for dioxins and dioxin-like compounds are a useful tool to measure changes in dioxin levels in the environment and to update predictions of human exposure to these toxic compounds from dietary components. The USDA Agricultural Research Service and Food Safety and Inspection Service conducted a survey in 2003 and obtained information about the current levels of dioxins in domestically produced meat and poultry. Over 500 samples of beef, pork, chicken, and turkey were collected from federally inspected slaughter houses across the country and analyzed for dioxins and coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls. The results showed that beef had the highest levels of dioxin toxic equivalents (TEQs) followed by turkey, chicken, and pork on a lipid-weight basis. Almost 92% of the samples had TEQs less than 1 ppt lipid. Two pork samples with TEQs of 2.6 and 4.5 ppt, were associated with a dioxin-contaminated mineral supplement which was subsequently removed from the market. Compared to a similar survey conducted in the mid 1990s, the data indicated that pork, chicken, and turkey dioxin levels may have decreased by 50% in the past ten years, but the levels in beef may not have changed as dramatically.