Expert: More data needed on dioxin risk

AN expert on dioxins has suggested that state agencies should gather more data to give the public a clearer picture of the level of risk associated with having eaten any affected pork products.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) yesterday reiterated its belief that there should be no cause for concern about public health arising from the pork contamination crisis.

But James Heffron, professor of biochemistry at University College Cork, said state agencies could establish a more exact analysis of the risks to health within a few days by calculating the average consumption of affected products, along with the levels of dioxins detected and the length of time they were present in pork products. Professor Heffron is an acknowledged expert on toxicology, with dioxins and PCBs among his areas of specialist knowledge.

“This average risk calculation would be based on the average exposure and tell if the risks are high or not. It would give the public a better quantitative view of the risks,” he said.

“I’m not trying to be contradictory about this but they could have waited to get a better idea of the toxicity when they got all the data together. I think they should be more forthcoming about the risks,” Prof Heffron said.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) said it believes the data relating to health risks for people exposed to dioxins does not give cause for concern. Its view remains that, based on an assessment of international and national data, a short-term peak exposure to dioxins and PCBs does not result in adverse health.

The FSAI’s scientific experts have consulted widely with counterparts in the European Food Safety Authority, the World Health Organisation and health risk assessors in Britain’s Food Standards Agency. The Department of Health and Children has been in consultation with the Belgian authorities regarding their continued population health monitoring since their dioxin incident in 1999.

FSAI deputy chief executive Alan Reilly said data used to assess any health risk involves reviewing available evidence on incidents and exposure internationally. He said a number of factors mitigate and reduce the potential for any health risk in relation to this recall and that people should not be concerned about the potential risks from dioxins found in pork and bacon products.

“Firstly, the dioxins in relation to the pork and bacon recall would have been concentrated primarily in the fat element of the product — pork is considered a healthy lean meat product and only the visible fat of the product would have potentially contained any contamination,” he said.

“Add this to the fact that only 10% of the product is suspected as being affected on the market and this reduces potential exposure.

“Putting all this into perspective with the evidence of long-term exposure we have, there is a low-level risk of ill health — and that means for today, tomorrow or 20 years from now.”