Background:
Following the discovery and confirmation of relatively large amounts of 3-MCPD-esters in foods and food ingredients, a workshop was organized by ILSI-Europe in February 2009, in order to review all available data relevant for risk assessment. Significant knowledge gaps and research needs were identified. Recommendations on how best to address issues related to 3-MCPD esters and related compounds, i.e. 2-MCPD–esters and glycidyl-esters, in foods were formulated (click
here to download the Workshop report). This workshop triggered widespread activities on analytical challenges (including formation, occurrence), mitigation and toxicology (sub-chronic toxicity and biokinetics of 3-MCPD-esters). It was decided to follow these scientific developments through a shared activity between the ILSI-Europe Process Related and Natural Toxins and the Risk Assessment of Chemicals in Food task forces. A review of the progress was planned in the form of a second workshop to be held in 2011.
Preliminary contacts with stakeholders and investigators indicated that a workshop in 2011 was too early to expect new breakthrough information on toxicology. At the same time, significant progress was made in the development of analytical methods, including the direct analysis of glycidol and its esters in similar products as MCPDs and their esters. An ILSI-expert group initiated a critical review of these methods in the context of their performance and applicability to address key issues such as occurrence in food, mechanism of formation, mitigation and toxicology. It is currently considered that several important analytical challenges encountered earlier could now be resolved. In addition, new information on mechanisms of formation together with evidence of possible application in mitigation approaches are emerging. In this context, it was decided to focus the second workshop mainly on analytics and mitigation.
For that purpose, the expert group is preparing a working document targeting the following topics:
1. Occurrence and exposure, including an inventory and review of analytical methods
2. Analytical tools to study precursors and chemical formation mechanisms
3. Analytics for toxicology
The outline of the document will be presented during the workshop and discussed over the working group discussions.
Objectives
The objectives of this workshop are:
· To review the work document developed by the ILSI Europe expert group on analytical methods, with a particular emphasis on their validity to address key issues such as risk assessment and verification of mitigation.
· To clarify conclusions, identify remaining issues and define further research needs in dedicated working groups.
· To communicate the outcome to the relevant stakeholders.
Expected Outcome
The working document, which would be reviewed in the workshop, will result in a publication in a peer reviewed scientific journal. In addition, a short summary of the workshop will be published as a short communication in a scientific journal as well as in the ILSI Europe newsletter.
Attendance to the workshop in upon invitation only.