Threshold of toxicological concern
Increasing numbers of substances present at low and very low concentrations in food and feed are now detectable due to improved analytical methods. However, for many such substances there are little or no toxicological data available. There is an increased need to assess the potential health significance of these previously undetectable trace substances but it is not always possible to generate toxicological data on every single substance found in the diet.
The Threshold A dose or exposure below which adverse effects are not detected of Toxicological Concern ( TTC The threshold of toxicological concern (TTC) is a screening tool that provides conservative exposure limits in the absence of sufficient chemical-specific toxicological data. It is a science-based approach for prioritising chemicals with low-level exposures that require more data over those that can be presumed to present no appreciable human health risk) approach has been developed to qualitatively assess the risk of low-level substances in the diet. It can be used for an initial assessment of a substance to determine whether a comprehensive risk assessment A specialised field of applied science that involves reviewing scientific data and studies in order to evaluate risks associated with certain hazards. It involves four steps: hazard identification, hazard characterisation, exposure assessment and risk characterisation is required. It is an important science-based approach for prioritising assessment of those chemicals with low-level exposures that require more data over those that can be presumed to present no appreciable human health risk.
Latest
June 2019 – EFSA published new guidance on use of threshold of toxicological concern A screening tool that provides conservative exposure limits in the absence of sufficient chemical-specific toxicological data. It is a science-based approach for prioritising chemicals with low-level exposures that require more data over those that can be presumed to present no appreciable human health risk (TTC) approach in food safety assessment. The document takes into account the latest scientific developments in the field and was finalised following a public consultation with EFSA’s stakeholders. It is intended to help guide EFSA’s scientists in the use of the TTC approach as a screening and prioritisation tool for the safety assessment of chemicals, when hazard A substance or activity which has the potential to cause adverse effects to living organisms or environments (toxicological) data are incomplete and human exposure can be estimated as low. Importantly, the TTC approach is not applicable where substance-specific data exist or where they are required under EU legislation.
FAQ
EFSA’s Scientific Committee has carefully considered the applicability of the TTC approach to endocrine-active substances, including those that could have “low- dose The total amount of a substance (e.g. a chemical or nutrient) given to, consumed or absorbed by an individual organism, population or ecosystem effects”. It concluded that:
- If there are data showing that an endocrine-active substance has adverse effects, then the TTC approach should not be applied and a full risk assessment should be carried out based on these data.
- If there are data showing that a substance has endocrine activity but the relevance to human health is unclear, then a decision should be made by risk assessors on a case-by-case basis whether or not to apply the TTC approach.
- There is currently extensive work going on at an EU-level about how scientists should define and assess endocrine-active substances; once finalised, the impact of this work will need to be considered in relation to the use of the TTC approach.
EFSA has found that the TTC approach adequately protects infants and children. Broadly speaking, this is because the TTC values are expressed according to body weight and therefore take into account the lower body weights of infants and children.
EFSA also noted that in the first weeks of life young infants are capable of metabolising and eliminating substances, particularly when exposures are low, and that the differences between young infants and children or adults in this respect are small enough not to invalidate the use of the TTC approach.
However, EFSA does recommend that if the estimated exposure is in the range of the TTC value for young infants, additional considerations, such as predicted metabolism The total sum of physical and chemical processes that occur within living organisms, frequency and duration of exposure, need to be made, on a case-by-case basis, to determine whether the TTC approach can be relied on.