Via foodstuffs, people absorb numerous chemicals such as dioxins, heavy metals, phthalates and PAHs. Recent food crises have shown that safe food, and thus proper knowledge and management of the level of chemicals in food, is vital.
Chemicals can enter foodstuffs via pollutants in the environment or raw materials, via preparation and contact with materials from which substances can migrate.
The XtraFOOD model developed by VITO specifically focuses on chemical food safety and calculating the entire food chain starting with the transfer of chemicals from the environment to the farm, through concentrations in primary agricultural products and packaged and derived foodstuffs, to human exposure.
Human exposure can be compared to available toxicological levels in order to evaluate the safety of foodstuffs in given situations (environment, process techniques, packaging). The model also allows detection of possible sources of contamination, evaluating the effect of policy measures and underpinning regulations (standardisation for crops and contact materials).
The XtraFOOD model has been developed and validated for a wide range of chemicals, ranging from metals to (persistent) organic compounds such as PCBs and dioxins.
