Ann. Méd. Vét., 2007, 151 (1), pp 44-54 Endocrine disruptors in food: potential impact on human health.SCIPPO M.-L., MAGHUIN-ROGISTER G.Abstract :
Several scientific studies revealed that substances with hormonal(or antihormonal) activity are widely distributed in the environment as well as in food, either as
natural constituents (as phytoestrogens),
or as substances of anthropogenic origin (for example, organochlorine pesticides).
Several observations concerning both the wild fauna and humans indicate that these products with hormonal activity are endocrine disruptors. Numerous ecotoxicological studies evidenced
important disturbances of the fertility of the wild fauna in zones contaminated by pesticides.
In humans, epidemiological studies revealed a significant increase of certain cancers(among others, that of the testicles)and a decrease of the male
fertility. Substances with estrogenic
activity are often considered, but other hormonal effects are more and more frequently discovered (i.e. anti-androgenic).
Numerous worries appear concerning the long-term effects on human health linked to a chronic exposure to these substances
by food ingestion. It is urgent to review, not only on the actual contamination of our food by endocrine disruptors (in terms of identification and quantification of every individual chemical), but also the potentially toxic
activity of food containing a mixture of contaminants present at levels below their individual toxicity threshold. Get the PDF Contact person : mlscippo@ulg.ac.be |