BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment FAQ of 15 February 2018
Due to repeated detections, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority) has assessed the health risks caused by chlorate in foods. The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment) has updated its opinion on chlorate on this basis.
Chlorates are salts of chloric acid. Sodium and potassium chlorate used to be employed as herbicides but the use of plant protection and biocidal products containing chlorate is no longer permitted in the EU. Chlorate can occur, however, as a by-product when using chlorinated substances for cleaning or disinfection. According to the latest available findings, the likely entry path is the contact of foods with water that was previously treated with chlorinated biocidal products for disinfection purposes.
The BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment has compiled questions and answers on the subject.
Frequently asked questions about chlorate in food
Chlorates are salts of chloric acid (HClO3) which consist of the chlorate anion (CIO3-) and various cations. Sodium and potassium chlorate are examples of well-known chlorate compounds. It is not known which chlorate compounds were contained in the foods in which chlorate was detected.
Repeated exposureExposureTo glossary to chlorate can have the result that iodine intake is inhibited in humans. This inhibition can cause temporary changes to thyroid hormone levels in high-risk groups. The inhibition of iodine intake through chlorate is reversible.
People with thyroid disorders or an iodine deficiency can be particularly affected by undesired effects, as can newly born babies and other children. Another critical group comprises expectant mothers who already have a thyroid function disorder.
A one-time intake of chlorate (acute exposure) has only a negligible effect on the inhibition of iodine intake but higher chlorate concentrations can result in damage to the red blood cells.
EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority has derived a tolerable daily intake (TDIshort forTolerable Daily Intake) for chlorate of 0.003 milligrams (mgshort formilligram) per kilogram (kgshort forkilogram) body weight. Potency is therefore ten times lower than that for perchlorate (http://www.bfr.bund.de/en/frequently_asked_questions_about_perchlorate_in_food-188608.html). Based on the effect that with a one-time intake of higher chlorate concentrations the red blood cells can be damaged, EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority also derived an acute reference dose (ARfDshort forAcute Reference Dose) of 0.036 mgshort formilligram per kgshort forkilogram body weight for chlorate.
The BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment recommends that, in line with the proposal of the EU Commission, all bodies affected by the chlorate problem in the areas of plant protection products, drinking water, baby food and food hygiene jointly discuss the necessary measures so that it can be guaranteed in the risk assessment that all entry paths have been taken into account and that the measures necessary to comply with drinking water hygiene can continue to be implemented.
About the BfR
The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment) is a scientifically independent institution within the portfolio of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMELshort forGerman Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture) in Germany. It advises the Federal Government and Federal Laender on questions of food, chemical and product safety. The BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment conducts its own research on topics that are closely linked to its assessment tasks.
This text version is a translation of the original German text which is the only legally binding version.