General Contaminants

This page includes links to information about contaminants in general, unspecified contaminants, or specific contaminants other than acrylamide, arsenic, dioxin, PCB, mercury, lead, or perchlorate.

• General Contaminants Risk Assessment
• General Contaminants Hazard Characterization/Toxicology
• General Contaminants Exposure
• General Contaminants Risk Management
  
  
• General Contaminants and Fish and Shellfish Products
• General Contaminants and Water
• Other General Contaminants Resources

General Contaminants Risk Assessment

Format	Author(s)	Title / Description	Date added	Details
	Hamscher, G.	[Acrylamide, Antiparasitic Agents, Dioxins and More: How Dangerous are Contaminants and Residues in Food?] Abstract of an article on the occurrence of contaminants such as dioxins and acrylamide and residues such as antibiotics and antiparasitic agents in foods and on the risks of consuming these contaminants and residues in foods. The original article is in German. (more) Publication Month: July 2004	Sep 21, 2004
	Advisory Forum, European Food Safety Authority	EFSA Advisory Forum Event Berlin: Abstracts and presentations from this public event on topics related to the risk assessment process. Presentations include "Future perspectives in risk assessment: Key challenges and opportunities"/Jouve, Jean-Louis; "Future perspectives on risk assessment: key challenges and opportunities"/Feron, Victor J.; "Future perspectives on risk assessment: key challenges and opportunities"/Silano, Vittorio; "UK review of risks and benefits of fish consumption"/Benford, Diane; "Position of the French Committee of AFSSA on a risk/benefit analysis of GMOs"/Schwartz, Maxime; "Risk-benefit assessment of micronutrients - folic acid"/Flynn, Albert; and "Risk-benefit evaluation lessons for risk management and communication"/Renn, Ortwin. (more) Event Dates: Monday, November 8, 2004 - Tuesday, November 9, 2004 Publication Date: Friday, November 12, 2004	Aug 6, 2004
	Risk Assessment Forum, National Center for Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, Environmental Protection Agency	Framework for Inorganic Metals Risk Assessment (External Review Draft) Draft version of a framework to provide guidance on special considerations for the human health and ecological risk assessment of inorganic metals. (more) Publication Month: November 2004	Dec 30, 2004
	Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration	Guidance Documents for Trace Elements in Seafood Risk assessments for trace elements of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, and nickel in seafood. These documents are no longer current and are presented for historical purposes. (more) Publication Year: 1993	May 29, 2002
	University of Tennessee	Guidance for Conducting Risk Assessments and Related Risk Activities for the DOE-ORO Environmental Management Program This document sets guidelines for conducting risk assessments for risks from contaminants. It is designed to set a standard for risk assessment for the Environmental Management Program, Oak Ridge Operations, Department of Energy, and it is a useful resource on the risk assessment of chemical hazards. (more) Publication Month: April 1999	Aug 26, 2002
	Toxicology Excellence for Risk Assessment	Health Risk Assessment/Characterization of the Drinking Water Disinfection Byproduct Chloroform This document, prepared under the direction of the Health and Ecological Criteria Division, Office of Science and Technology, Office of Water, Environmental Protection Agency, presents a risk characterization of the health risks from chronic oral exposure to chloroform. Includes discussion of hazard characterization, dose response, and exposure. (more) Publication Date: Wednesday, November 4, 1998	May 29, 2003
	Tritscher, Angelika M.	Human Health Risk Assessment of Processing-related Compounds in Food This report discusses risk assessment as applied to 3-monochloropropanediol (MCPD) and acrylamide in foods. Access to the full text may require subscription or purchase. (more) Publication Date: Thursday, April 1, 2004	Apr 27, 2004
	The LifeLine Group	LifeLine™ v4.3 LifeLine Aggregate and Cumulative Exposure / Risk Assessment Software™ Version 4.3, a software "tool to characterize population-based aggregate and cumulative exposures and risks from pesticide residues in food and tapwater as well as in the home following residential uses". (more)	Apr 26, 2006
	Scientific Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain, European Food Safety Authority	Opinion of the CONTAM Panel Related to the Safety Assessment of Wild and Farmed Fish Opinion adopted on June 22, 2005 regarding wild and farmed fish, including discussion of nutrient and contaminant levels, beneficial effects of fish consumption, impact and risk assessment of the consumption of Baltic herring, and more. (more) Publication Date: Friday, July 1, 2005	Jul 8, 2005
	Scientific Committee on Food, Health and Consumer Protection Directorate-General, European Commission	Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Food on the Risks to Human Health of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Food Assessment of human health risks from exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in foods. Includes risk characterization for non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic effects. An annex entitled "Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - Occurrence in foods, dietary exposure and health effects" provides an extensive summary of background information and is available here. (more) Publication Date: Wednesday, December 4, 2002	Mar 3, 2004

General Contaminants Hazard Characterization/Toxicology

Format	Author(s)	Title / Description	Date added	Details
		2,4,6-Tribromophenol and Other Simple Brominated Phenols Concise International Chemical Assessment Document (CICAD) 66. Summary of potential human health and environmental effects from 2,4,6-tribromopheol and other simple brominated phenols. (more) Deadline: Thursday, December 15, 2005 Publication Year: 2005	Dec 15, 2005
	Emerging Issues Branch, Chemistry and Toxicology Division, Office of Public Health and Science, Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture	2000 National Residue Program Data: The Red Book 2000 National Residue Program Domestic Residue Data of drug and pesticide residues and environmental contaminants in meat, poultry, and egg products. Earlier years' data also available. (more) Publication Year: 2000	Aug 31, 2001
	Springer-Verlag New York, Inc.	Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology This journal publishes articles on the scientific aspects of contaminants in the environment. It includes articles that deal with environmental contaminants as related to biochemistry, toxicology, agricultural, and water chemistry. You may access abstracts for free online, but full text requires a subscription. (more)	Aug 15, 2002
	Huss, H.H.; Ababouch, L.; Gram, L.	Assessment and Management of Seafood Safety and Quality Report on risk assessment and management issues associated with seafood. Includes discussion of world seafood production and consumption, food safety systems, hazard identification and characterization, and risk management strategies such as HACCP, FSOs, microbiological criteria, traceability, and more. Appendices include "Assessment of Food Safety Programmes," "Hazard Analysis Worksheet," "HACCP Plan Form," and "Generic HACCP Plan for the Production and Processing of Oysters". (more) Publication Year: 2003	Nov 18, 2004
	Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, California Environmental Protection Agency	Availability of Additional Information Related to the Proposition 65 Listing Decision for Chloroform with Regard to Reproductive Toxicity Notice regarding additional documents and studies regarding the reproductive toxicity of chloroform. Deadline: Friday, July 29, 2005 Publication Date: Friday, July 1, 2005	Jul 6, 2005
	Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, California Environmental Protection Agency	Availability of Hazard Identification Materials for 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene and Announcement of the Carcinogen Identification Committee Meeting Hazard identification document for 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene. Attachments include "Public Health Goals for Chemicals in Drinking Water. 1,2,4- Trichlorobenzene," "relevant sections of a final report submitted to the U.S. EPA entitled: '104-Week Dietary Carcinogenicity Study with 1,2,4 Trichlorobenzene in Mice,'" "relevant sections of a final report submitted to the U.S. EPA entitled: '104- Week Dietary Carcinogenicity Study with 1,2,4 Trichlorobenzene in Rats,'" and "data submitted under the Toxic Release Inventory program for the years 1999 to 2002 for 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene". (more) Deadline: Tuesday, July 12, 2005 Publication Date: Friday, May 13, 2005	May 24, 2005
	Springer-Verlag New York, Inc.	Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology This monthly journal publishes information in the fields of air, soil, water, and food contamination and pollution. Abstracts are available for free online, but a subscription is required to access the fulltext. (more)	Aug 28, 2002
	International Programme on Chemical Safety	Coal Tar Creosote Concise International Chemical Assessment Document (CICAD) on coal tar creosote. Includes discussion of hazard identification, hazard characterization, and exposure considerations. (more) Publication Year: 2004	Jan 3, 2005
	Castle, Laurence	Contaminants from Food Packaging Presentation on contaminants from food packaging. Includes discussion of a hazard assessment of packaging migrants in the EU, assumptions used in exposure assessment, and a case study on estimating consumer exposure to BADGE (bisphenol A diglycidyl ether). It was presented at the 2003 CSL/JIFSAN Joint Symposium - Food Safety and Nutrition: Risk Analysis. (more) Publication Date: Thursday, June 12, 2003	Jun 18, 2003
	Advisory Forum, European Food Safety Authority	EFSA Advisory Forum Event Berlin: Abstracts and presentations from this public event on topics related to the risk assessment process. Presentations include "Future perspectives in risk assessment: Key challenges and opportunities"/Jouve, Jean-Louis; "Future perspectives on risk assessment: key challenges and opportunities"/Feron, Victor J.; "Future perspectives on risk assessment: key challenges and opportunities"/Silano, Vittorio; "UK review of risks and benefits of fish consumption"/Benford, Diane; "Position of the French Committee of AFSSA on a risk/benefit analysis of GMOs"/Schwartz, Maxime; "Risk-benefit assessment of micronutrients - folic acid"/Flynn, Albert; and "Risk-benefit evaluation lessons for risk management and communication"/Renn, Ortwin. (more) Event Dates: Monday, November 8, 2004 - Tuesday, November 9, 2004 Publication Date: Friday, November 12, 2004	Aug 6, 2004

General Contaminants Exposure

Format	Author(s)	Title / Description	Date added	Details
	Huss, H.H.; Ababouch, L.; Gram, L.	Assessment and Management of Seafood Safety and Quality Report on risk assessment and management issues associated with seafood. Includes discussion of world seafood production and consumption, food safety systems, hazard identification and characterization, and risk management strategies such as HACCP, FSOs, microbiological criteria, traceability, and more. Appendices include "Assessment of Food Safety Programmes," "Hazard Analysis Worksheet," "HACCP Plan Form," and "Generic HACCP Plan for the Production and Processing of Oysters". (more) Publication Year: 2003	Nov 18, 2004
	United Kingdom Food Standards Agency	Breast Milk Archive Study Published Release regarding a study on methods for establishing a national breast milk archive and access to the report of the study and related reports. The study also conducted testing of breast milk samples for dioxins and furans, PCBs, organochlorine pesticide residues, phthalates, phytoestrogens, and heavy metals. (more) Publication Date: Tuesday, December 7, 2004	Dec 8, 2004
	International Programme on Chemical Safety	Coal Tar Creosote Concise International Chemical Assessment Document (CICAD) on coal tar creosote. Includes discussion of hazard identification, hazard characterization, and exposure considerations. (more) Publication Year: 2004	Jan 3, 2005
		Collection of Occurrence Data on Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Food [SCOOP Report] Report on levels of PAH in foods, dietary intake, and exposure to benzo(a)pyrene from foods in several European countries. Annexes include "Background information on PAH," "Tables of the electronic questionnaire," "Sampling procedures, methods of analysis," "Consumption data," "PAH intake, Exposure data," and more. (more) Publication Month: October 2004	Oct 18, 2004
	Castle, Laurence	Contaminants from Food Packaging Presentation on contaminants from food packaging. Includes discussion of a hazard assessment of packaging migrants in the EU, assumptions used in exposure assessment, and a case study on estimating consumer exposure to BADGE (bisphenol A diglycidyl ether). It was presented at the 2003 CSL/JIFSAN Joint Symposium - Food Safety and Nutrition: Risk Analysis. (more) Publication Date: Thursday, June 12, 2003	Jun 18, 2003
	National Center for Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, Environmental Protection Agency	Database of Sources of Environmental Releases of Dioxin-Like Compounds in the United States Downloadable database of congener specific chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin/dibenzofuran (CDD/CDF) emissions data for all known U.S. sources. Data is associated with the reference years 1995 and 1987. A users' manual and related report are also available from this web page. (more) Publication Month: March 2001	Jan 15, 2004
	Office of Plant and Dairy Foods, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration	Dioxin Analysis Results/Exposure Estimates Downloadable data on polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (PCDD) and polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDF) congener levels in foods and exposure estimate results as a result of FDA's analysis of samples from its Total Diet Study for 2000-2003. (more) Publication Month: June 2005	Apr 5, 2004
	Bechtel Jacobs Company LLC	Empirical Models for the Uptake of Inorganic Chemicals from Soil by Plants This report presents models on the uptake of contaminants from the soil by plants. Most of the study data is based on agricultural crop plants. Contaminants studied include arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, selenium, and zinc. (more) Publication Date: Wednesday, September 23, 1998	Aug 26, 2002
	DiNovi, Michael J., and Paul M. Kuznesof	Estimating Exposure to Direct Food Additives and Chemical Contaminants in the Diet This report describes the databases and methodologies used by the Office of Premarket Approval in FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition to estimate exposure to food additives and other substances. It discusses sources of data for estimating exposure and how to model exposure analysis. Examples are given for single-use additives, multiple-use additives, chemical contaminants, and special cases. (more) Publication Month: September 1995	Aug 9, 2002
	Office of Plant and Dairy Foods, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration	Exploratory Data on Furan in Food Exploratory data from FDA's survey of furan levels in food samples. Product categories sampled include baby foods, infant formulas, coffee, mixtures, fish, canned fruit, fruit juices, and vegetables, bread, meats, nuts and nut butters, and more. (more) Publication Date: Wednesday, June 15, 2005	May 10, 2004

General Contaminants Risk Management

Format	Author(s)	Title / Description	Date added	Details
	Huss, H.H.; Ababouch, L.; Gram, L.	Assessment and Management of Seafood Safety and Quality Report on risk assessment and management issues associated with seafood. Includes discussion of world seafood production and consumption, food safety systems, hazard identification and characterization, and risk management strategies such as HACCP, FSOs, microbiological criteria, traceability, and more. Appendices include "Assessment of Food Safety Programmes," "Hazard Analysis Worksheet," "HACCP Plan Form," and "Generic HACCP Plan for the Production and Processing of Oysters". (more) Publication Year: 2003	Nov 18, 2004
	Office of Plant and Dairy Foods, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration	Compliance Policy Guide: Compliance Policy Guidance for FDA Staff: Sec. 560.750 Guidance Levels for Radionuclides in Domestic and Imported Foods (CPG 7119.14) This document presents derived intervention levels for radionuclide activity concentration in foods for import or for interstate commerce. A "Supporting Document for Guidance Levels for Radionuclides in Domestic and Imported Foods [Docket No. 2003D-0558]" is available from the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/nucleve2.html. (more) Publication Date: Thursday, July 29, 2004	Jul 29, 2004
	Office of Food Additive Safety, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration	Compliance Policy Guide: Guidance for FDA Staff: Sec. 500.500 Guidance Levels for 3-MCPD (3-chloro-1,2-propanediol) in Acid-Hydrolyzed Protein and Asian-Style Sauces Draft guidance document "to help FDA personnel determine whether to take enforcement action based upon the presence of 3-MCPD in acid-HP and Asian-style sauces in interstate commerce or offered for import into the United States". (more) Deadline: Thursday, May 25, 2006 Publication Month: May 2006	May 25, 2006
	Food and Drug Administration	Draft Compliance Policy Guide, Guidance Levels for Radionuclides in Domestic and Imported Foods, Availability; and Draft Supporting Document, Supporting Document for Guidance Levels for Radionuclides in Domestic and Imported Foods, Availability Announcement of a draft compliance policy guide entitled "Guidance Levels for Radionuclides in Domestic and Imported Foods" and a draft supporting document. (more) Publication Date: Wednesday, January 14, 2004	Jan 20, 2004
	Drinking Water Systems Center, NSF International	Drinking Water Systems Center Verification Reports & Statements Verification statements for drinking water systems. Systems were tested for arsenic, Cryptosporidium/Giardia or Cryptosporidium-/Giardia-sized particles, viruses, bacteria and bacteria-sized particles, and disinfection by-products. (more)	Jul 12, 2005
	Advisory Forum, European Food Safety Authority	EFSA Advisory Forum Event Berlin: Abstracts and presentations from this public event on topics related to the risk assessment process. Presentations include "Future perspectives in risk assessment: Key challenges and opportunities"/Jouve, Jean-Louis; "Future perspectives on risk assessment: key challenges and opportunities"/Feron, Victor J.; "Future perspectives on risk assessment: key challenges and opportunities"/Silano, Vittorio; "UK review of risks and benefits of fish consumption"/Benford, Diane; "Position of the French Committee of AFSSA on a risk/benefit analysis of GMOs"/Schwartz, Maxime; "Risk-benefit assessment of micronutrients - folic acid"/Flynn, Albert; and "Risk-benefit evaluation lessons for risk management and communication"/Renn, Ortwin. (more) Event Dates: Monday, November 8, 2004 - Tuesday, November 9, 2004 Publication Date: Friday, November 12, 2004	Aug 6, 2004
	Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, California Environmental Protection Agency	Extension of Public Comment Period: Workshop on Potential Regulatory Action Exempting from the Proposition 65 Warning Requirements, Exposures from Chemicals that Form from Natural Constituents in Food During Cooking or Heat Processing Notice regarding the extension of the comment period on a workshop related to the exemption of chemicals formed from natural constituents in food during cooking or heating from warning requirements under Proposition 65. Includes a link to more information about the workshop. Comments submitted may be viewed here. (more) Deadline: Monday, June 6, 2005 Event Date: Monday, May 9, 2005 Publication Date: Friday, May 13, 2005	May 17, 2005
	Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration	Fish and Fisheries Products Hazards and Controls Guidance: Third Edition This report discusses the FDA's thinking on the hazards associated with fish and fishery products and on controls for those hazards. It includes information on developing a HACCP Plan and discussion of such hazards as pathogens from the harvest area, parasites, natural toxins, chemical contaminants, aquaculture drugs, allergens, metal and glass inclusion, and more. (more) Publication Month: June 2001	Aug 7, 2002
	Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture	FSIS Safety and Security Guidelines for the Transportation and Distribution of Meat, Poultry, and Egg Products This document presents voluntary guidelines to prevent the contamination of meat, poultry, and egg products during transportation and storage. It is designed to assist small facilities and shippers in preventing physical, chemical, radiological, or microbiological contamination (including contamination from criminal or terrorist actions). (more) Publication Date: Monday, August 4, 2003	Aug 4, 2003
	Directorate F - Food and Veterinary Office, Health and Consumer Protection Directorate-General, European Commission	General Guidance for Third Country Authorities on the Procedures to be Followed When Importing Live Animals and Animal Products into the European Union This document provides guidance to national authorities in third countries regarding EU legislation on importing live animals and products of animal origin from third countries. (more) Publication Date: Wednesday, October 1, 2003	Oct 9, 2003

General Contaminants and Fish and Shellfish Products

Format	Author(s)	Title / Description	Date added	Details
		2,4,6-Tribromophenol and Other Simple Brominated Phenols Concise International Chemical Assessment Document (CICAD) 66. Summary of potential human health and environmental effects from 2,4,6-tribromopheol and other simple brominated phenols. (more) Deadline: Thursday, December 15, 2005 Publication Year: 2005	Dec 15, 2005
	Huss, H.H.; Ababouch, L.; Gram, L.	Assessment and Management of Seafood Safety and Quality Report on risk assessment and management issues associated with seafood. Includes discussion of world seafood production and consumption, food safety systems, hazard identification and characterization, and risk management strategies such as HACCP, FSOs, microbiological criteria, traceability, and more. Appendices include "Assessment of Food Safety Programmes," "Hazard Analysis Worksheet," "HACCP Plan Form," and "Generic HACCP Plan for the Production and Processing of Oysters". (more) Publication Year: 2003	Nov 18, 2004
	International Programme on Chemical Safety	Coal Tar Creosote Concise International Chemical Assessment Document (CICAD) on coal tar creosote. Includes discussion of hazard identification, hazard characterization, and exposure considerations. (more) Publication Year: 2004	Jan 3, 2005
	Advisory Forum, European Food Safety Authority	EFSA Advisory Forum Event Berlin: Abstracts and presentations from this public event on topics related to the risk assessment process. Presentations include "Future perspectives in risk assessment: Key challenges and opportunities"/Jouve, Jean-Louis; "Future perspectives on risk assessment: key challenges and opportunities"/Feron, Victor J.; "Future perspectives on risk assessment: key challenges and opportunities"/Silano, Vittorio; "UK review of risks and benefits of fish consumption"/Benford, Diane; "Position of the French Committee of AFSSA on a risk/benefit analysis of GMOs"/Schwartz, Maxime; "Risk-benefit assessment of micronutrients - folic acid"/Flynn, Albert; and "Risk-benefit evaluation lessons for risk management and communication"/Renn, Ortwin. (more) Event Dates: Monday, November 8, 2004 - Tuesday, November 9, 2004 Publication Date: Friday, November 12, 2004	Aug 6, 2004
	Office of Plant and Dairy Foods, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration	Exploratory Data on Furan in Food Exploratory data from FDA's survey of furan levels in food samples. Product categories sampled include baby foods, infant formulas, coffee, mixtures, fish, canned fruit, fruit juices, and vegetables, bread, meats, nuts and nut butters, and more. (more) Publication Date: Wednesday, June 15, 2005	May 10, 2004
	Office of Science and Technology, Office of Water, Environmental Protection Agency	Fish Advisories This page links to information related to fish advisories, including the FDA/EPA advisory on mercury in fish and shellfish, links to local fish advisory programs, a national compendium of information on local fish advisories, guidance documents, chemical fact sheets, publications, and more. (more)	Aug 26, 2004
	Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration	Fish and Fisheries Products Hazards and Controls Guidance: Third Edition This report discusses the FDA's thinking on the hazards associated with fish and fishery products and on controls for those hazards. It includes information on developing a HACCP Plan and discussion of such hazards as pathogens from the harvest area, parasites, natural toxins, chemical contaminants, aquaculture drugs, allergens, metal and glass inclusion, and more. (more) Publication Month: June 2001	Aug 7, 2002
	Fish Monitoring Program, State Veterinarian, Division of Environmental Health, Department of Environmental Conservation, State of Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation	Fish Monitoring Program