Carcinogenic PCB paints found in animal feed Heavy health hazard for us humans?

Poultry holdings blocked for PCB in feed: Danger for consumers?

In Germany, many poultry holdings were banned because they received feed containing toxic "non-dioxin-like PCB" (ndl-PCB). There is now a health risk for consumers?

Animal feed contaminated by paint chips

Several poultry farms in Germany have been banned because they have been fed with food contaminated with a poison. "The contamination of animal feed with non-dioxin-like PCB (ndl-PCB) was caused by paint chips in the storage containers of a North Rhine-Westphalian feed producer," wrote the State Agency for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection of North Rhine-Westphalia (LANUV) in a statement. There is now a health hazard for consumers?

Many poultry farms in Germany have been banned because they have been fed animal feed contaminated with PCB. Is there a health risk from poultry meat and eggs now? (Image: aga7ta / fotolia.com)

Investigations are still ongoing

According to the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), the feeds from North Rhine-Westphalia have, according to current knowledge, been delivered to companies in North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony and Hesse.

Affected are fattening poultry, pullet and laying hen farms.

"According to the information currently available, all affected farms were closed in the federal states," says the BMEL.

"According to reports from the competent authorities, the farms concerned are to remain closed until the final results of the survey on eggs and poultry meat are available. The investigations in the countries are still ongoing. "

In Lower Saxony, the barriers of some companies could now be repealed by negative samples, said the Lower Saxony Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (LAVES).

Toxicological properties

As explained by LAVES on its website, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of 209 different congeners, which can be divided into two categories according to their toxicological properties:

"Some congeners have toxicological properties similar to those of dioxins, which is why they are often referred to as 'dioxin-like PCB' ('dl-PCB')," say the experts.

And: "The other PCBs have a completely different toxicological profile, which is not similar to that of dioxins, and are therefore referred to as" non-dioxin-like PCB "(" ndl-PCB ")."

ndl-PCB accumulates in the fatty tissue

Can these substances be dangerous??

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which many years ago looked at possible dangers to human health from non-dioxin-like PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), stated in an earlier communication that "ndl-PCB" is generally found mainly in adipose tissue Enrich the human body through ingestion.

According to the experts, 90 percent of the burden in humans can be attributed to food intake.

The experts found in one investigation that ndl-PCB are neither genotoxic nor carcinogenic.

However, they also pointed out that the long-term health effects of ndl-PCB are difficult to assess, especially in heavily-contaminated and vulnerable populations.

No acute health hazard

According to the North Rhine-Westphalian LANUV, no acute health risk arises from the detected PCB concentration, reports the consumer center.

Nevertheless, the maximum levels for PCBs in poultry meat and in eggs must not be exceeded.

Only if the limit values ​​are not exceeded, the blocked companies may resell their products.

Secured remnants of the contaminated food would be destroyed according to LANUV. (Ad)