The relevance of the food productionchain with regard to the populationexposure to chemical substancesand its role in contaminated sites

摘要

Food may be contaminated with many chemical substances at any level along the productionchain. Chemicals that may be found in food items can simultaneously be presentin other matrices, as air, water, soil and dust; therefore, human exposure to chemicals viafood has to be summed to the exposure through all the other possible routes. The roleplayed by the food production chain with regard to the population exposure to chemicalsassumes amplified proportions when considering contaminated sites. Indeed thelink between environment and food production is undeniable and consequently, whenpopulation chemical exposure is considered, an integrated approach assessing the contributionof the different routes of exposure, including dietary exposure, is needed. Suchintegrated approach allows a realistic and comprehensive risk assessment of chemicalsubstances in order to identify and deploy effective prevention and intervention measuresto protect human health.