BfR Annual Report 2015

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BfR | Annual Report 2015 60
BfR study on 3-MCPD and
3-MCPD fatty acid esters
Undesirable substances can occur when foods are heat-
ed during the production process. These substances
include 3-monochlorpropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD), which
can be formed when foods that contain both fat and salt
are exposed to high temperatures. This affects numerous
food products, such as bakery and smoked goods, cof-
fee, preserves, baby food or potato products. Findings
of animal studies show that 3-MCPD causes infertility
in male rats and has a carcinogenic effect on kidneys
and testicles. For this reason, EFSA derived an accepted
tolerable daily intake quantity of 0.8 μg/kg body weight
for this substance, which should not be exceeded in the
longer term.
In 2007, 3-MCPD fatty acid esters were detected in a
number of foods for the first time, including margarine,
oils, infant formula and soy sauce. These substances
are created above all in the industrial purification of fats
and oils. As little or no information was available on the
toxicology of 3-MCPD fatty acid esters at this time, the
BfR and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
commissioned a series of studies in order to assess
whether these substances may pose an additional risk
to consumers alongside the parent compound 3-MCPD.
The effects of 3-MCPD were compared with those of a
3-MCPD fatty acid ester in a 90-day feeding study using
rats conducted by the University of Parma. It was proven
that the dipalmitate ester of 3-MCPD triggered changes
in the tissue of the target organs of kidneys and testicles
that were similar to but weaker than the changes caused
by 3-MCPD itself. Various in-vitro and in-vivo studies initi-
ated by the BfR found that most of the 3-MCPD bound
to fatty acids in the form of esters is released in the in-
testine and that this additional amount of 3-MCPD must
also be taken into consideration for the purpose of risk
assessment.
In a 28-day feeding study on rats, a proteomics method
was used to investigate comparative complex protein
pattern changes in different organs in order to gain in-
sights into the biochemical effects and mechanisms of
the early-stage changes in the organs caused by these
substances and the associated metabolic changes in
the liver, kidneys and testicles. It was found that, as in
the previous 90-day study, 3-MCPD and its dipalmitate
caused similar molecular biological changes to liver, kid-
neys and testicles. The main effect was on carbohydrate
and fat metabolism. As the data obtained on molecular
and biochemical level confirm the findings of classic ani-
mal studies, we can be all the more certain that the harm-
ful effect of the 3-MCPD fatty acid esters is mainly de-
termined by the release of the base substance 3-MCPD
during the digestion process. The recorded results were
published in special-interest journals and are taken into
account in the risk assessment for 3-MCPD of EFSA.
i More information on 3-MCPD fatty acid esters in foods:
Information on research into the use of gene and protein
expression analysis in risk assessment:
Undesired substances can occur through heating during
the production of foods.
Chemical structure of 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol
(3-MCPD, A) and 3-MCPD-2-palmitate (B). The rectangle
marks the fatty acid residue bound to 3-MCPD via an
ester bond (oxygen molecule O).
H
H
O
O
O
O
O
H
CI
CI
(A)
(B)