Zero-tolerance Policy What does It mean for Food Safety and Food Security

Residues and contaminants in food - introducing the chemical conundrum Keeping food production up to par in order to nurture a growing world population is of increasing importance, and, taking into account the population forecasts, a huge challenge. To reach the food availability goals, the three most important issues which have to be addressed are: 1) prevention and reduction of foodborne illnesses; 2) increasing global market accessibility of food and 3) reducing food losses. To reduce food losses it will be very helpful if worldwide international standards for food safety issues will be accepted for example in the field of residues of pesticides, veterinary drugs and contaminants from natural and industrial origin. As pesticides and antibiotics are means to reduce food losses to pests and diseases, including those detrimental to human health, these chemicals have a role to play in increasing food availability world-wide. Food-safety is the other side of the medallion of food-production. The central question is: How can food security be enhanced for a growing world population in the context of the presence of low-levels of pesticides and antibiotics residues and/or contaminants in food? Throughout the world different standards for residues of pesticides safety, drugs and natural and industrial contaminants exist. For example, within the EU the maximum residue limit for tetracycline in poultry meat is 100 μg/kg however, in Russia the permitted level is 10 μg/kg. Furthermore, there is the issue of the natural occurrence of ‘EU zero-tolerance’ substances like semicarbazine1) (an important marker metabolite of the antibiotic nitrofurazone) and chloramphenicol2). Other issues are mycotoxins like zeranol and EU banned growth promoting agents like boldenone. The question of food safety and food security in relation with low levels of residues and contaminants can only be answered adequately when they are evaluated by different research disciplines. Some questions to be addressed are: What is the toxicological relevance of low levels?; What is the perception of the consumer?; How do we effectively communicate to the consumer new insights with respect to the presence and effects of low-levels of chemicals?; What is the effect of multiple biogeochemical sources of regulated chemical compounds on establishing safe levels toxicologically and legally?; What are the analytical possibilities to monitor low levels in the context of multiple sources and food legislation?; What is the impact of setting limits on the final losses of food? In conclusion data from all different kind of disciplines, analytical chemistry, toxicology and knowledge of the fate of compounds throughout the production chain are necessary for predicting the effect of zero-tolerance policy on food safety and food security.