EFSA confirms health concern from dietary exposure to dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in Europe
Dietary exposureFor the purposes of risk assessment, measurement of the amount of a substance consumed by a person or animal in their diet that is intentionally added or unintentionally present (e.g. a nutrient, additive or pesticide) to dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) continues to raise a health concern for the European populationCommunity of humans, animals or plants from the same species, according to a new scientific opinionOpinions include risk assessments on general scientific issues, evaluations of an application for the authorisation of a product, substance or claim, or an evaluation of a risk assessment from EFSA.
The opinion updates EFSA’s 2018 assessment following the World Health Organization’s 2022 revision of toxicityThe potential of a substance to cause harm to a living organism equivalency factors (TEFs), which are used to assess the combined toxicity of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs.
Using the updated 2022 WHO-TEFs, EFSA set a new tolerable weekly intakeThe maximum intake of substances in food, such as nutrients or contaminants, that can be consumed weekly over a lifetime without risking adverse health effects (TWI) of 0.6 picograms per kilogram body weight per week for combined exposureConcentration or amount of a particular substance that is taken in by an individual, population or ecosystem in a specific frequency over a certain amount of time to dioxins and dioxinPersistent, chlorine-containing organic pollutant which occurs as by-product of industrial processes. It can accumulate in the food chain and pose a serious public and environmental health risk-like PCBs — three times lower than the TWIThe tolerable weekly intake (TWI) is the maximum intake of substances in food, such as nutrients or contaminants, that can be consumed weekly over a lifetime without risking adverse health effects established in 2018 using the previous WHO TEFs from 2005.
This health-based guidance valueGuidance on safe consumption of substances that takes into account current safety data, uncertainties in these data, and the likely duration of consumption is based on developmental effects on male reproduction and is supported by evidence from both animal studies and human data.
What did EFSA find?
EFSA found that dietary exposure of the European population exceeds the new TWI in all age groups, with the highest exceedances seen in toddlers and children.
The assessment also identifies a concern for women of childbearing age, due to potential effects on future male offspring exposed via the mother.
What does EFSA recommend?
EFSA recommends strengthening the evidence and monitoring to support future risk assessments, in particular by:
- developing more human-relevant toxic equivalency factors (TEFs);
- further improving toxicokinetic models for humans;
- collecting more data on contamination levels in plant-based foods;
- gathering additional data on the presence of these substances in human milk and blood, from a broader range of European countries.
What happens next?
Maximum levels for dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in food and feed are already set in European legislation. The European Commission and Member States, in their role as risk managers, will consider EFSA’s scientific advice when developing dietary guidance and reviewing the existing maximum levels, also taking into account the revised toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) to ensure a high level of consumer protection.
Background
Dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs are persistent environmental contaminants that accumulate in the food chain and are found mainly in foods of animal origin, particularly milk and dairy products, meat and fish. A balanced and varied diet may help reduce exposure from individual food sources.
TEFs are internationally agreed values used to express the relative toxicity of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs compared with the most toxic dioxin, i.e. 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD).
EFSA experts discussed the draft conclusions and explained the scientific principles and methods during a public webinar held on 11 December 2025.
A public consultation on the draft assessment ran from 27 November 2025 to 26 January 2026. EFSA’s Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM) reviewed the comments received and considered them when finalising the opinion. The comments received and the replies from the CONTAM Panel are available in an annex to the scientific opinion.
EFSA is also carrying out a risk–benefit assessment of fish consumption, looking at nutritional benefits alongside potential adverse effects due to exposure to several contaminants, including dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs. This work is expected to finish by the end of 2027 and was requested by the European Commission to support national authorities in providing dietary advice to their citizens.
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