Chemical food safety deals with all aspects of chemical risks in the food chain, predominantly with the biologically active components of food, additives, contaminants and their toxicology. Preventing the contamination of food with problematic chemical compounds requires a thorough understanding of how compounds enter and pass through the food production process, in addition to toxicology and risk management. Chemical Food Safety covers the underlying principles and applied science required to understand, analyse and take professional action on food safety problems and questions that call for interventions at a local, national or international level. The text follows food contaminants through the production and processing of plant, fungal, algal and animal foods, including oral exposure and intestinal absorption. Risk assessment is explained in the context of targeted future risk management and risk communication, with a view to assessing, managing and communicating risk in the food chain.
Chemical Food Safety is ideal for higher level students as well as those working in the food production industry, consultants and national food authorities.
Undergraduate and graduate students, academic personnel and professionals in food science, nutrition, public health, environmental health, food inspection, animal science, veterinary science.
1. Food, nutrition and food safety; an introduction
2. The food production and processing chain
3. Unwanted chemical substances
4. The production and processing chain in food safety
5. Introduction to ADME (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism and Excretion)
6. Absorption and distribution of chemical compounds
7. Metabolism of chemical compounds
8. Excretion of chemical compounds and their metabolites
9. Toxicokinetics
10. Toxicodynamics
11. An introduction to the history of regulation and control worldwide (International institutions in risk assessment and safety regulation)
12. The EU with EFSA and EMEA
13. Safety assessment methods in the laboratory: toxicity testing
14. In vitro methods
15. Naturally inherent plant toxicants -introduction and non-glycosidic compounds
16. Naturally inherent plant toxicants - glycosides
17. Naturally inherent toxins: mushrooms, algae (marine biotoxins) and animals
18. Introduction to food contaminants and about metals, metalloids and other elements
19. Mycotoxins
20. Pesticides and persistent organic pollutants (POP's)
21. Contaminants from processing machinery and food contact materials
22. Toxic compounds formed during processing or improper storage
23. Veterinary drugs and contaminant overall conclusion
24. Food additives and flavourings etc.
25. Food allergies and intolerances
26. Analytical chemistry in food safety
27. Risk analysis
28. Food safety (quality) assurance and certification of production
29. GMO and food
30. Cases
We live in an era where 'food safety' is rarely out of the news, and rightly so, as the importance of food and nutrition in human health becomes increasingly clear. Therefore the arrival of this book is timely: taking a holistic, 360o, farm-to-fork approach, it provides the reader with a clear grounding on all relevant aspects of chemical food safety, from the various sources and origins of chemical toxins that can find their way into food, through the effects of toxins on the body, and laboratory-based approaches used to test the toxicity of chemicals, to the principal ways in which foods are tested for the presence of toxins. Useful, relevant background information regarding regulatory bodies, whose task it is to legislate and "police" food safety, is also provided. Naturally-occurring toxins are covered, and some attention is also focused on more recent and 'emerging' topics such as allergens and GMOs. Great care has clearly been taken to ensure a clear writing style throughout, and the diagrams and figures are also very clear.
Overall, this is a very well-structured, well-written and relevant book that will provide any chemically-literate reader with an excellent grounding in the area of Chemical Food Safety.
Gerard O'Brien, Course Director BSc Hons Food and Nutrition, University of Ulster, Northern Ireland
Food safety is a major concern especially in the developing world. The importance of food and nutrition in human and animal health becomes clear. The arrival of this book is timely. The book focuses on different aspects in the food chain, from farmers’ field to consumers’ table. It provides the reader with a clear understanding on all relevant aspects of chemical food safety, from the sources and origins of chemical harmful toxins that can be ended up in the food and feed, different laboratory-based methods used to extract and quantify the toxins and test for their toxicity, techniques for detoxification. Relevant information on regulations is also provided. Most naturally-occurring toxins are emphasized. Attention is also given to allergens and GMOs food that are coming up. This book is well structured, clear English style throughout, figures, diagrams and tables are very clear. This book is relevant that will provide any chemically/biochemistry literate reader with excellent information in the area of chemical food safety. "
Gbemenou Joselin Benoit Gnonlonfin, Research Scientist, Biosciences Eastern and Central Africa, International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya.
"Brimer writes for a general audience without introducing bias or losing any accuracy. Each chapter contains contemporary references… and valuable illustrations. Recommended." Choice, Vol. 49 (5), 2012.
Brimer is member of the Working Group (WG) on Alkaloids in Food and former member of the WG on natural contaminants in plant feeding stuffs; European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). He translated "The new honest herbal" by Professor Varro Tyler (Purdue University) for Danish readers. He received a grant from the Carlsberg Foundation to allow him to concentrate on writing a book on useful chemical compounds from acacia trees. Dr. Brimer earned his Ph.D. and Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) degrees from University of Copenhagen (UC). He has taught chemical food safety for 20 years at Faculty of Life Sciences (UC), and studied chemical food safety in Europe and in many parts of Africa. Leon Brimer has also been affiliated to the Danish Bilharziasis Laboratory - WHO Collaborating Centre. In 2010 he implemented the world's first 100% online (distance) course in chemical and microbiological food safety with students worldwide.