Environmental toxins

About 90 % of all dioxins and furans are ingested via consumption of animal foodstuffs. Approximately half of them come from milk and milk products. The concentration of persistent pollutants increases more and more as they move up the food chain. The top consumer may then ingest toxic amounts of the pollutant.

In almost every food scandal the fact is emphasized that no toxicologically relevant concentrations were measured and therefore there is no danger to the public.

Many environmental toxins are substances that have a hormonal or anti-hormonal effect on organisms (endocrine disruptors). In 2002 two studies of the University of London were published showing that several xenooestrogens combined had a considerable hormonal effect. Each of these substances alone had a concentration below NOEC (No-observed-effect concentration). (46, 47)

 

  1. (46) Silva E et al: Something from „nothing“-eigtht weak estrogenic chemicals combined at concentrations below NOECs produce significant micture effects; Environ Sce Technol 2002 Apr 15; 36(8): 1751-6
  2. (47)Rajapakse N et al: Combining xenoestrogens at levels below individual no-observed-effect concentrations dramatically enhances steroid hormone action; Environ Health Perspect 2002 sep; 110(9