Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Fish and shellfish are, with very few exceptions, generally considered safe. Food safety laws in many parts of the world are, however, requiring companies to implement programs such as Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) as a means of assuring food safety from harvest to consumption. In South Africa, fishing companies wishing to export products to countries such as the European Union (EU), the United Sates (US), et cetera have, over the past number of years, been required to implement HACCP. Various issues are, however at stake with regards to the successful implementation of HACCP and thus this study project is primarily focused on the application of the HACCP system to the white fish industry. The method of study involved consultation with various local authorities in order to highlight existing HACCP problems within the South African White Fish Industry. A literature survey was conducted to ascertain the requirements of various countries and international organisations and iii addition to gain an in-depth knowledge as to theworking requirements of HACCP. Prior to setting in place a HACCP system, the model reviews in detail the HACCP manual requirements and prerequisite programs required. The prerequisite programs are not limited to but include good manufacturing practices, operation and sanitation, pest control, traceability and recall procedures, customer complaint procedures, chemical control program and training. Process flow diagrams need to be developed and verified for each process and product. Once completed an analysis of the various biological, chemical and physical hazards that are likely to affect the safety of the product is conducted. The seven principles of HACCP are clarified together with how they may best be implemented and monitored, taking in to consideration the various parameters of each fish processing establishment. A brief introduction about the relationship between the HACCP system, ISO 9000 and total quality management (TOM) and the advantages and disadvantages of each system is included. The study project is completed with recommendations for further study in other food processing industries. Recommendations include, but are not limited to ensuring that current and new legislation be regularly monitored, HACCP models be developed for industries such as the shellfish industry, et cetera and that, where possible, harmonisation of the requirements be internationally agreed upon. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Oor die algemeen word vis en skulpvis, met 'n paar uitsonderings, as veilig beskou. Internasionaal word daar deur die voedsel veiligheidswette vereis dat maatskappye aan 'n standaard naamlik HACCP ( Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) voldoen wat verseker dat die voedsel vanaf sy oorspronklike bron tot en met by die verbruiker veilig is vir gebruik. In Suid Afrika, word oor die laaste aantal jare van alle vismaatskappye wat vis wil uitvoer na Europeuse lande of die Verenigde state, verwag om HACCP te implimenteer. Verskeie kwessies is op die spel met betrekking tot die suksesvolle implimentering van HACCP en daarom word hierdie projek gefokus op die suksesvolle implimenteering van die HACCP beginsel in die witvis bedryf. Vir die studie is plaaslike owerhede genader om vas te stel waar bestaande probleme met betrekking tot die witvis bedryf is. 'n Literatuur studie is uitgevoer om te bepaal wat die behoeftes is van verskillende lande en internationale instansies en ook om 'n indiepte kennis te bekom vir die funksionerings vereistes van HACCP. Die model beskryf volledig wat vereis word om 'n HACCP handleiding saam te stel en die voorvereiste programme wat benodig word alvorens 'n HACCP plan inwerking gestel kan word. Daar is geen beperkings ten opsigte van die voorvereiste programme nie maar dit sluit die volgende in: goeie vervaardigings praktyke, higiëne bestuur, plaagbeheer, identifiseering en produk ontrekking prosedure, verbruikersklagtes, chemikalië beheer en opleiding. Vir elke proses en produk moet daar 'n vloei diagram opgestel word. Daarna moet 'n ontleding gedoen word van alle moontlike biologiese, chemiese en fisiese gevare wat die veiligheid van 'n produk kan benadeel. Verder bespreek die studie die sewe beginsels van HACCP, die implimentering en monitering daarvan met inagneming van die uniekheid van elke prosesaanleg. 'n Kort oorsig oor die verwantskap tussen HACCP, ISO 9000 en "TQM ( Total Quality Management)" met elk se voor en nadele word ook bespreek. Die studie word afgesluit met aanbevellings vir verdere studies in die voedselprosesseringsindustrie, oor die monitering van huidige en toekomstige wetgewing, die ontwikkeling van HACCP modelle en harmonisering van internasionale en plaaslike vereistes soos ooreengekom.

While previous studies have investigated country-of-origin effect from various angles, it remained unexplored the extent to which Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) affects U.S. beef imports from specific countries. Using choice-experiment data, willingness to pay (WTP) for Australian, Canadian beef in addition to other enhancement attributes were estimated with a Mixed Logit Model and a Latent Class Model. The results revealed unobserved taste heterogeneity and important differences in the WTP between the imported and domestic steak. The Latent Class Model estimated the range of discount needed for consumers to switch from U.S. to Canadian steak was a range from $1.09 to $35.12 per pound. Results from the Mixed Logit Model reiterated strong domestic preference. Significant positive WTP for BSE-tested, traceable, and tenderness-assured beef were also observed. In addition, perceived risk theory was utilized to explain the difference in WTP for domestic and imported beef. The psychometric method proposed in Pennings et al. (2002) were adopted, which disentangled perceived risk into risk perception and risk attitude. Using a mixed logit model with error component specification, the result revealed a strong link between risk perception and risk attitude towards consumer choice of country-of-origin labeled beef. Specifically, we found that perceived risk factors have a stronger impact on imported beef than domestic beef, which could partially explain consumers’ aversion towards imported beef. Lastly, the perceived risk framework was expanded to explain variation in the WTP for traceable and BSE-tested beef. The results indicated significant and non-linear impact from risk attitude and risk perception to WTP for the attributes. In addition, BSE-concern, and perceived level of control agribusiness has on food safety significantly influenced WTP for traceable and BSE-tested beef.

Les échanges commerciaux de denrées alimentaires entre l'Union européenne et les Etats Subsahariens sont en constante augmentation et sont encadrés par les grands principes du droit alimentaire européen, composante du droit de la consommation. Ces grands principes énoncent des règles d'information des consommateurs, de sécurité, de conformité et de traçabilité des produits alimentaires qui doivent être respectés par toutes les parties prenantes du secteur agroalimentaire et des ses filières. C'est donc une masse importante de règles internationales, communautaires européennes qui se combinent aux textes nationaux. Les exportateurs/importateurs au sein de la Communauté, et les professionnels des pays tiers, mettent en œuvre ces règles dans les contrats de vente internationales des denrées. Les problèmes de santé et de sécurité sont posés par les consommateurs inquiets de leur protection. Mais les producteurs seront attentifs à l'évolution des règles qui protègent les consommateurs car elles conditionnent les activités de production, de transformation de transport, de stockage et de commercialisation. Certes, l'Afrique subsaharienne occupe une place faible dans le commerce mondial, mais son importance dans les échanges avec le continent européen, reste un facteur d'encouragement de la production des produits africains commercialisables. A cet effet, les pays subsahariens ne peuvent plus se contenter d'une réglementation locale, inadaptée, bien lacunaire et peu effective, au regard de l'importance des solutions aux questions sanitaires alimentaires dans le cadre du commerce mondial. D'ailleurs les importateurs européens imposent, contractuellement, à leurs partenaires africains le respect des impératifs sanitaires européens sans lesquels ils ne pourraient mettre les aliments importés en circulation en Europe. La thèse met en évidence un impératif de modernisation des instruments juridiques et institutionnels en Afrique subsaharienne. La place que prennent désormais les normes, quelles qu'en soient les différentes variantes est, à cet égard, très instructive. Les normes permettent aux producteurs et exportateurs des pays en développement de raccourcir les opérations complexes de compréhension des textes impératifs et des principes techniques et managériaux très modernes. / Food trade between EU and Sub-Saharans, are permanently increasing. This trade is surrounded by some food Law major principles, part of consumer Law. These main principles, deal with: safety, information, conformity, traceability, of food stuffs which have to be respected by all stakeholders in the agro-food business. This huge amount of legal instruments (international, European,) has to be mixed with the local regulations. These rules are used in the frame of the international contracts of importing food. Health and safety questions are a strong demand from consumers. But producers are paying much attention to the evolution of this corpus of rules of consumer protection, as far as they influence production, transformation, transport, storage, and distribution .Of course sub,-Saharan countries occupy a small part of international food trade, but it remains an important partner of EU, and this is an important encouragement mean to develop African production of foodstuffs. African countries cannot anymore apply their local and obsolete regulations, unefficient and lacking with global trade. In fact, European importers stress, by the terms of their contracts, imposed to the African partners, to respecting European sanitary rules. Otherwise they could not put the imported goods into circulation on the EU market. The thesis shows the necessity to up to date legal instruments in Africa . In particular the standards (official and private standards) will be very efficient for helping producers and exporters from developing countries to understand the constraints of mandatory rules, and their technical consequences in terms of modern production and management processes.

Doctor of Philosophy / Food Science / Justin Kastner / Many Chinese aquaculture farmers use unapproved chemicals to treat their fish, many of which are diseased as a result of the country’s poor waste management and environmental practices. During 2006-2007, the United States (U.S.), the European Union, and Japan rejected large amounts of Chinese seafood imports due to the presence of unapproved chemicals or the presence of approved chemicals at concentrations that exceeded permitted levels. This dissertation examines the sources of environmental health and food safety problems in China; it also examines how effective the U.S. and Chinese governments’ regulations are in protecting consumers from hazards in Chinese aquaculture products. The study looks at specific chemical contaminants found in Chinese aquaculture imports, explores their potential toxicity or carcinogenicity, and examines the reasons for their prohibition from human food. The study exploits the available U.S. seafood consumption patterns (courtesy of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey—NHANES—database) and then uses probabilistic modeling (courtesy of CREMe Software Limited) to determine the extent to which specific sensitive U.S. consumer subpopulations were exposed to aquaculture chemical contaminants in the food supply in a contrived scenario using real consumption data (from NHANES) and actual contamination data (from the FDA). The study compares exposure between children and adult consumers, and also looks at exposure among women aged 18 years and older and the elderly aged 60 years and older. This study suggests a strong likelihood that NHANES children, as well as female consumers aged 18 years and older and elderly consumers aged 60 years and older, were (in the contrived scenario) all exposed to violative intake levels of chemical contaminants from Chinese aquaculture imports. Children forming the 99.5th and 99.9th percentiles of NHANES seafood consumers were exposed to higher levels of nitrofuran, gentian violet, and malachite green contaminants per kilogram of body weight than were their adult counterparts. Conversely, children were exposed to lower levels of fluoroquinolone contaminants per kilogram of body weight than were their adult counterparts. The 50th, 95th, and 99.9th percentiles of female consumers aged 18 and older and elderly consumers aged 60 years and older were exposed to violative daily intake levels of contaminants in Chinese aquaculture. The study concludes by examining what the U.S. and Chinese governments should do to address aquaculture safety.

Les préoccupations de sécurité alimentaire prennent aujourd'hui une place importante, tant à l'échelon national qu'à l'échelon international. Ce phénomène de préoccupation grandissante à l'égard des aspects sécurité de l'alimentation s'est encore davantage renforcé sous l'impulsion des crises alimentaires successives et de l'expansion des risques non avérés. De nos jours, la gestion du risque : anticiper le risque, le prévenir, gérer la crise ou réparer ses conséquences incombe donc à l'autorité publique. Dans ce cadre, le principe de précaution fournit un mécanisme permettant de déterminer des mesures de gestion des risques ou d'autres actions en vue d'assurer le niveau élevé de protection de la santé. Nous considérons le principe de précaution et son contrôle à l'aune de jurisprudences françaises pour aider à mieux comprendre ce principe et à l'introduire activement en Corée. Par ailleurs, nous soulevons des problèmes et suggérons des possibilités d'amélioration afin de mettre en oeuvre une gestion efficace du risque alimentaire à travers une étude comparative sur le système et la législation alimentaires entre la France et la Corée. / The food safety concerns are now an important place, both nationally and internationally. This phenomenon is further strengthening under the leadership of successive food crises and the expansion of uncertain risks. The state accordingly shall undertake responsibility for risk management such as risk assessment, risk prevention, and prompt response to crisis at all stages of production, distribution and sales of food. In this context, the precautionary principle provides a mechanism for determining risk management measures or other actions to ensure the higher standard of health protection. This article, through reviewing the cases and studies in France on the precautionary principle and the control over it, aims to help better understand the principle and actively introduce it to Korea. In addition, this article presents suggestive points through a comparative study of the system and food law between France and Korea, possible improvements to implement an effective food risk management.

Le travail de thèse décrit dans ce manuscrit porte sur l’étude de la présence de biocides désinfectants dans les produits laitiers et sur l’impact des procédés de transformation du lait sur l’apparition de produits néoformés. Les biocides désinfectants sont des composés chimiques utilisés quotidiennement en industrie laitière lors des procédures de nettoyage-désinfection (ND) des surfaces en contact avec les aliments. Les ammoniums quaternaires de type chlorure de Benzalkonium (BACs) et chlorure de dialkyldimethylammonium (DDACs), et l’Aminopropyldodécylpropane diamine sont les désinfectants les plus largement utilisés en industrie laitière. Ces biocides peuvent entrainer des résidus sur les surfaces alimentaires, ce qui présente un risque pour la santé du consommateur. Dans le but de mesurer l’exposition des consommateurs, deux méthodes analytiques fiables ont été développées pour l'analyse de ces substances dans les produits laitiers impliquant la chromatographie liquide couplée à la spectrométrie de masse en tandem. Le lait cru de vache, la poudre de lait entier, les fromages à pâte pressée cuite et les fromages fondus ont été sélectionnés pour représenter la diversité des produits laitiers. L'évaluation des performances de chacune des méthodes a été réalisée par une approche globale basée sur le profil d'exactitude. Pour la plupart des composés et des matrices étudiés, les méthodes d'analyse ont été validées sur l’intervalle de dosage de 5 à 150 μg / kg. Pour répondre au questionnement de l'impact des procédés de transformation du lait sur les résidus de biocides désinfectants, l'évolution des teneurs en composés et leur devenir dans les différentes matrices issues du lait ont été étudiées. Pour cela, deux études de faisabilité mettant en oeuvre des comparaisons d'empreintes chimiques globales, acquises par spectrométrie de masse à haute résolution, de fromages fondus et de fromages à pâte dure (contaminés vs témoins) ont été réalisées. Ces études ont permis de détecter 4 ions discriminants liés à la présence de biocides dans le fromage fondu. Leur identification reste à réaliser. Tout ce travail a été réalisé à des fins de sécurité alimentaire. La première partie est à l'élaboration de méthodes analytiques ciblées pour les résidus de biocides dans le lait et les produits laitiers permettant ainsi de mesurer les résidus de biocides sur les denrées alimentaires. Ces mesures sont nécessaires pour effectuer une analyse du risque liée à ces résidus. La deuxième partie est en relation avec la question du comportement des résidus de biocides lors de la transformation du lait présentant la stratégie, les résultats que nous pourrions obtenir et la perspective de travaux futurs. / The thesis work focuses on the presence of disinfectants biocides in dairy products and on the impact of milk processing on the possible appearance of process-induced food contaminants related to the exposition of milk with biocides. Disinfectants biocides are chemicals daily used in the dairy industry in cleaning-disinfection (CD) processes of food contact surfaces. Quaternary ammoniums as benzalkonium chloride (BACs) and dialkyldimethylammonium chloride (DDACs), and the Aminopropyldodecylpropane diamine are the most widely used disinfectants in dairy industry. These biocides can lead residues on the surfaces of food contact materials therefore present a health risk for the consumer. With aim of measuring consumers exposure, two reliable analytical methods have been developed for the analysis of these substances in dairy products involving liquid chromatography hyphenated with tandem mass spectrometry. Raw cow's milk, whole milk powder, hard pressed and processed cheeses were selected as representing the diversity of dairy products. The evaluation of the performances of each of the methods was carried out by the global approach based on the accuracy profile. For most of compounds and matrices studied, analytical methods were validated within the range of 5 to 150 μg/kg. To answer to the questioning of the impact of milk processes on biocides disinfectants residues, the evolution of compounds contents and their fate in the various matrices resulting from the milk were studied. For this, two proof-of-concept studies implementing global chemical fingerprint comparisons, acquired by High Resolution Mass Spectrometry, of processed cheese and hard pressed cheese (contaminated vs control) samples were carried out. These studies allowed to detect 4 discriminant ions linked to the presence of biocides in processed cheese. Their identification remains to be done. Whole this work is related for food safety purposes. The first part was linked to elaborate targeted analytical methods for biocides residues in milk and milk products thus allowing the measurement of biocides residues on food. These measurements are necessary for the risk analysis linked to these residues. The second part is in relation with the question of the behavior of biocides residues within milk processing presenting the strategy, the results we could obtain and the perspective for future works.

Ractopamine hydrochloride (RAC) is a β-agonist additive that has been used in many countries as a repartitioning agent, redirecting nutrients in order to increase leanness and decrease lipid deposition in pigs. Countries from the European Union and Asia question their safety, while American countries and Australia allow their controlled use as an additive added to the feed of pigs in the finishing phase. In Brazil, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply together with the national production sector, developed a Program called \"SplitSystem\" to ensure a safe product without RAC in order to meet international sanitary requirements. However, co-products used in animal feed may contain RAC, such as meat and bone meal (MBM), one of the main feed ingredients used in many countries which can partially replace soybean meal to lower costs. As the level of RAC in this protein source has not been established an experiment was under taken to examine the impact on pig tissues of increasing amounts of meat and bone meal (MBM) in four dietary groups: 0, 7, 14 and 21% w/w of MBM-containing RAC (53.5 µg kg-1) in the diet. The purpose was to verify if ractopamine residues remain in pig tissues (muscle, liver, kidneys, and lungs) and how much is eliminated through urine. To address these concerns, gilts were fed RAC via MBM daily, from weaning until slaughter. RAC was determined in muscle, liver, kidneys, and lungs with a limit of detection (LOD) = 0.15, 0.5, 0.5 and 1.0 µg kg-1, respectively), and no RAC residues were quantified above the limit of quantification (LOQ) = 0.5, 2.5, 2.5 and 2.5 µg kg-1, respectively). In urine, RAC concentration remained below 1.35 µg L-1. These values are below the maximum residue limits (MRLs) established by legislation. Therefore, MBM (53.5 µg kg-1 of RAC) can be used up to 21% in pig diets, however when considering restrictive markets, it is recommended not to use MBM. / O cloridrato de ractopamina (RAC) é um aditivo β-agonista que tem sido usado em muitos países para redirecionar nutrientes a fim de aumentar a deposição de tecido muscular e diminuição de lipídios em suínos. Países da União Européia e Ásia questionam sua segurança, enquanto os países da América e a Austrália permitem seu uso controlado como um aditivo adicionado à ração na fase de terminação em suínos. No Brasil, o Ministério da Agricultura, em conjunto com o setor produtivo nacional, desenvolveu um programa chamado \"SplitSystem\" para garantir um produto seguro sem RAC, a fim de atender aos requisitos sanitários internacionais. No entanto, os co-produtos utilizados na ração animal podem conter RAC, como farinha de carne e ossos (FCO), um dos principais ingredientes utilizados em muitos países para substituir parcialmente o farelo de soja, a fim de reduzir os custos de produção. Como o nível de RAC nessa fonte de proteína não foi estabelecido, um experimento foi conduzido para examinar o impacto sobre os tecidos suínos que receberam níveis crescentes de FCO, divididos em quatro grupos: 0, 7, 14 e 21% de FCO contendo 53,5 µg kg-1 de RAC, na dieta dos animais. O objetivo foi verificar se resíduos de RAC permanecem nos tecidos suínos (lombo, fígado, rim e pulmão) e o quanto é eliminado através da urina. Para atender a essas preocupações, as leitoas foram alimentadas com RAC via FCO diariamente, desde o desmame até o abate. A RAC foi determinada em lombos, rins, fígados e pulmões com um limite de detecção (LOD) = 0,15; 0,5; 0,5 e 1,0 µg kg-1, respectivamente, e nenhum resíduo de RAC foi quantificado acima do limite de quantificação (LOQ) = 0,5; 2,5; 2,5 e 2,5 µg kg-1, respectivamente. Na urina, a concentração de RAC permaneceu abaixo de 1,35 µg L-1. Estes valores são inferiores aos limites máximos residuais (LMRs) estabelecidos pela legislação. Concluindo que a FCO (53.5 µg kg-1 de RAC) pode ser utilizada com até 21% em rações para suínos, entretanto, ao considerar mercados restritivos, recomenda-se não usar a FCO.

O presente estudo teve por objetivos: 1) caracterizar o Perfil Socioeconômico dos colaboradores; 2) caracterizar o Clima Organizacional; 3) caracterizar Comprometimento Organizacional; e 4) caracterizar e mapear o comportamento organizacional e verificar suas influencias no cumprimento da Boas Práticas de Higiene e Manipulação dos Alimentos. Refere-se a um estudo de caso com enfoque participativo utilizando-se de entrevistas, por se tratar de uma pesquisa essencialmente qualitativa. Concluiram-se que: 1) a valorização profissional, as relações interpessoais, os benefícios e políticas de incentivos oferecidos pela organização, bem como as condições físicas do ambiente promovem em seus colaboradores o desejo de permanência, comprometimento, engajamento, entusiasmo, envolvimento e bem-estar; 2) a compatibilidade dos objetivos individuais e organizacionais, associada à comunicação efetiva entre os diferentes níveis hierárquicos estimulam a motivação e o comprometimento resultando em produtividade, engajamento, bem-estar e envolvimento com as Boas Práticas de Higiene e Manipulação de Alimentos; 3) as falhas de procedimentos técnicos associam-se à falta de competências de alguns colaboradores, à comunicação não efetiva e à presença do sentimento de desvalorização profissional e pessoal; 4) competência, satisfação, idade, escolaridade, tempo de trabalho, e remuneração foram indicadores comuns para caracterização do comprometimento instrumental, normativo, afetivo e afiliativo / The present study aims to: 1) characterize the Socioeconomic Profile of employees; 2) characterize the organizational climate; 3) characterize organizational commitment; and 4) characterize and map the organizational behavior and verify their influences in compliance with good hygiene and food manufacturing practices. The study was considered as a case study with participatory approach using interviews, because it is essentially qualitative research. As a conclusion, it was possible to highlight: 1) the professional valuation, interpersonal relationship, benefits and incentive policies offered by the Organization, as well as the structural environment conditions promote the employees the desire for permanence, commitment, engagement, enthusiasm, engagement and well-being; 2) compatibility of individual and organizational objectives, associated with effective communication between different hierarchical levels stimulate motivation and commitment resulting in productivity, engagement, and involvement with the good hygiene and food manufacturing practices ; 3) technical procedures failures are related to the lack of skills of some employees, effective communication and the presence of the sense of professional and personal devaluation; 4) competence, satisfaction, age, schooling, work time, and remuneration were common indicators to characterize the instrumental, normative, and afiliative commitment

Microplastic pollution (particles < 5mm) is one of the most widespread impacts from modern society. Here, microplastic impacts were investigated through experimental assessments considering different exposure scenarios using mussels and micro-PVC as models. These aimed to investigate mussels\' physiological signs of stress under acute and chronic exposures and microplastics transference, assimilation and retention along food chains. In acute exposures, PVC intake affected mussels\' physiology over time, also influenced by plastics additives and particle concentration. Interactions among exposure factors (time, presence of additives and concentration) were more relevant than their individual effect, indicating the singularity of each contamination scenario. Long-term contact did not affect mussels, indicating the influence of time to acclimation. Microplastics were not assimilated and retained along food chains, but only biotransferred from prey tissues to predators\' tract, showing the influence of prey contamination on the effectiveness of microplastics biotransference. To evaluate risks in nature, microplastic ingestion was investigated in mussels from the Santos Estuary. Santos Estuary contained microplastics in 75% of sampled mussels, an issue of environmental and human concern. This study illustrated that microplastics impacts on mussels vary with microplastics characteristics, exposure scenario and species vulnerability, highlighting the need for more toxicological and risk evaluation studies. / Os microplásticos (< 5mm) são um dos impactos mais difundidos da sociedade moderna. Aqui, eles foram estudados em ensaios experimentais, considerando diferentes composições de exposição de mexilhões à micro-PVCs. O objetivo foi investigar: sinais fisiológicos de estresse sob exposições aguda e crônica; e transferência, assimilação e retenção de microplásticos em cadeias tróficas. Para avaliar seus potenciais riscos na natureza, a ingestão por mexilhões também foi investigada no Estuário de Santos. As exposições agudas afetaram a fisiologia dos mexilhões, sendo influenciadas pelo tempo e concentração de exposição, e pela presença de aditivos plásticos. Interações entre esses fatores (tempo, concentração e aditivos) foram mais relevantes do que eles individualmente, sugerindo a singularidade dos cenários de poluição. A exposição de longo prazo não afetou os mexilhões, indicando a influência do tempo na aclimatação ao microplástico. O PVC não foi assimilado e retido nas cadeias tróficas, mas biotransferido do tecido das presas para o trato dos predadores, mostrando a influência do estado da presa na efetividade da biotransferência dos microplásticos. Dentre os mexilhões coletados, 75% estavam contaminados, revelando uma importante questão socioambiental. Esse trabalho ilustrou a complexidade dos impactos dos microplásticos para a biota marinha, ressaltando a necessidade de mais estudos sobre seus riscos.

O processo de avaliação do risco relacionado a substâncias químicas é utilizado no âmbito da segurança alimentar para a saúde humana, visto que diversas substâncias, tais como aditivos e, particularmente, contaminantes, como praguicidas e medicamentos veterinários, podem estar potencialmente presentes nos alimentos para consumo humano. Tradicionalmente, autoridades de diversos países recomendam limites máximos aceitáveis dessas substâncias nos alimentos, que são obtidos durante o processo de avaliação do risco. A Ingestão Diária Aceitável (IDA) é um exemplo desse tipo de limite máximo. Diversos critérios devem ser observados no estabelecimento da IDA, sendo que o julgamento científico do avaliador pode contribuir extensivamente na obtenção desse valor. Nesse contexto, o objetivo desse trabalho é realizar uma análise crítica dos valores de IDA estabelecidos para praguicidas no Brasil, em relação às IDAs estabelecidas para os mesmos praguicidas pela Organização das Nações Unidas para Alimentação e a Agricultura / Organização Mundial de Saúde, na Europa e nos Estados Unidos (EUA), considerando o NOAEL, a espécie animal, a duração do estudo toxicológico, o endpoint selecionado e os fatores de incertezas aplicados, e suas implicações na avaliação do risco para a saúde humana quando da ingestão de resíduos de praguicidas em alimentos. Com essa avaliação foi possível verificar que não existe uma harmonização na determinação da IDA, assim como, dos parâmetros selecionados para sua determinação entre as agências. Além disso, a avaliação do risco para a saúde humana de 10 praguicidas selecionados mostrou que a exposição da população aos resíduos desses praguicidas em alimentos, em comparação as IDAs estabelecidas nas diferentes agências, pode resultar na consideração de riscos distintos, dependendo da IDA selecionada. Assim, a IDA não deve ser utilizada como único fator para a tomada de decisão para regulamentação destes praguicidas pelas agências que avaliam o risco para as populações expostas. Durante o gerenciamento do risco outros fatores, tais como o contexto sócio-econômico e político e a relação risco-benefício, devem ser considerados. / The risk assessment process is used in the context of food safety, since various chemicals such as additives and particularly contaminants, as pesticides and veterinary drugs, could potentially be present in food for human consumption. Traditionally, the authorities of several countries recommend maximum acceptable exposure limits of these substances in food, which are obtained during the risk assessment process. The Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) is an example of this kind of limit. Several criteria must be observed in the establishment of the ADI, and the scientific judgment of the evaluator may contribute extensively to obtain this value. In this context, the aim of this work is to perform a critical analysis of the ADI values established for pesticides in Brazil in relation to the same ADI for pesticides established by the World Health Organization (WHO), in Europe and in the United States of America (USA). The NOAEL, the animal species, the duration of toxicology studies, the endpoint selected and the applied uncertainty factors, and also the implications in risk assessment for human health of pesticide residues in food, were also considered. With this evaluation it was possible to observe that there is no harmonization in the establishment of the ADI, as well as in the parameters selected for the determination of ADI among agencies. Furthermore, the risk assessment of selected 10 pesticides showed that the population exposure to their residues in food, compared to the ADI established in different agencies, may result in different approaches to risks, depending on the ADI determined. Thus, the ADI should not be used as the only factor in decision making for regulation. During the risk management process, other risk factors must be considered, such as political, economic and social context and risk-benefit relationship.