TY - JOUR A1 - Hackethal, Christin A1 - Kopp, Johannes Florian A1 - Sarvan, Irmela A1 - Schwerdtle, Tanja A1 - Lindtner, Oliver T1 - Total arsenic and water-soluble arsenic species in foods of the first German total diet study (BfR MEAL Study) JF - Food chemistry N2 - Arsenic can occur in foods as inorganic and organic forms. Inorganic arsenic is more toxic than most watersoluble organic arsenic compounds such as arsenobetaine, which is presumed to be harmless for humans. Within the first German total diet study, total arsenic, inorganic arsenic, arsenobetaine, dimethylarsinic acid and monomethylarsonic acid were analyzed in various foods. Highest levels of total arsenic were found in fish, fish products and seafood (mean: 1.43 mg kg(-1); n = 39; min-max: 0.01-6.15 mg kg(-1)), with arsenobetaine confirmed as the predominant arsenic species (1.233 mg kg 1; n = 39; min-max: 0.01-6.23 mg kg (1)). In contrast, inorganic arsenic was determined as prevalent arsenic species in terrestrial foods (0.02 mg kg (1); n = 38; min-max: 0-0.11 mg kg (1)). However, the toxicity of arsenic species varies and measurements are necessary to gain information about the composition and changes of arsenic species in foods due to household processing of foods. KW - Occurrence data KW - Food KW - Total arsenic KW - Arsenic speciation KW - Inductively KW - coupled plasma mass spectrometry Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.128913 SN - 0308-8146 SN - 1873-7072 VL - 346 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam [u.a.] ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Fechner, Carolin A1 - Hackethal, Christin A1 - Höpfner, Tobias A1 - Dietrich, Jessica A1 - Bloch, Dorit A1 - Lindtner, Oliver A1 - Sarvan, Irmela T1 - Results of the BfR MEAL Study BT - in Germany, mercury is mostly contained in fish and seafood while cadmium, lead, and nickel are present in a broad spectrum of foods JF - Food chemistry: X N2 - The BfR MEAL Study provides representative levels of substances in foods consumed in Germany. Mercury, cadmium, lead, and nickel are contaminants present in foods introduced by environmental and industrial processes. Levels of these elements were investigated in 356 foods. Foods were purchased representatively, prepared as consumed and pooled with similar foods before analysis. Highest mean levels of mercury were determined in fish and seafood, while high levels of cadmium, lead, and nickel were present in cocoa products and legumes, nuts, oilseeds, and spices. The sampling by region, season, and production type showed minor differences in element levels for specific foods, however no tendency over all foods or for some food groups was apparent. The data on mercury, cadmium, lead, and nickel provide a comprehensive basis for chronic dietary exposure assessment of the population in Germany. All levels found were below regulated maximum levels. KW - Total diet study KW - BfR MEAL Study KW - Metals KW - Contaminants KW - Unprepared and KW - prepared foods KW - Regionality KW - Seasonality KW - Organic and conventional type of production Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fochx.2022.100326 SN - 2590-1575 VL - 14 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER -