FURAN - EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT OF AUSTRIAN ADOLESCENTS AND ELDERLY PEOPLE

Furan is formed from natural precursors such as ascorbic acid, amino acids, carbohydrates, poly un-saturated fatty acids and carotenoids following heat treatment of food. While animal studies have con-firmed Furan’s carcinogenic and possible genotoxic potential, its effects on humans have not been com-pletely clarified so far. In the period from 2007 to 2017 furan levels of foods have been analyzed by the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety. Based on these analytical data the exposure of Austrian adolescents and seniors to furan has been estimated by using the deterministic approach. For the adolescent population mean and 95th percentile dietary exposure to furan were estimated at 0.12 μg/kg bodyweight per day and at 0.68 μg/kg bodyweight per day respectively. Coffee and grain products are the main contributors to the total dietary exposure to furan. For the elderly population mean and 95th percentile of dietary exposure to furan were estimated at 0.26 μg/kg bodyweight per day and 0.47 μg/kg bodyweight per day respectively. Similar results have been shown for the very elderly population with an estimation of the dietary exposure at mean and 95th percentile at 0.28 μg/kg bodyweight per day and 0.48 μg/kg bodyweight per day. Coffee and composite foods are the main contributors to the total dietary exposure to furan for both the elderly and the very elderly population. Additionally grain products play an important role regarding dietary exposure for the elderly population. The MOE-calculation based on the BMDL10 of 0.064 mg/kg bodyweight per day for the development of cholangiofibrosis reveals that, with exception of adolescent high consumers, the current levels of dietary exposure to furan are not of concern. Whereas the MOE-calculation based on the BMDL10 of 1.31 mg/kg bodyweight per day for the development of hepatocellular adenomas indicate a concern for adolescent high consumers as well as the elderly and very elderly population based on animal evidence.At;de; PDF; efsafocalpoint@ages.a