efsa-opinion-chromium-food-drinking-water

Chromium in food and drinking water
BACKGROUND AS PROVIDED BY THE HELLENIC FOOD AUTHORITY (EFET)
Chromium is a steely-gray, hard metal that occurs naturally everywhere in the environment. It can
exist in a number of different oxidation states, ranging from - 2 to + 6 but the most stable forms are
elemental chromium, trivalent chromium (chromium III) and hexavalent chromium (chromium VI).
Chromium is released into the environment by natural processes (mainly dust from rocks and volcanic
activity) and, to a greater extent, by human activities (metal industries, burning of oil and coal, waste
incineration etc). Due to its strong resistance to corrosion, chromium is commonly used in the
production of stainless steel and for surface coating through electroplating. Other uses of chromium
include dyes and colour pigments, tanning of leather, wood preservatives and catalysts.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified chromium VI as carcinogenic
to humans (Group 1) while metallic chromium and chromium III compounds were not classifiable as
to their carcinogenicity to humans (Group 3) (IARC, 1990) 4 . The occurrence of hexavalent chromium
compounds is rare and nearly always man-made. Chromium III is considered to be an essential
element both in animal and human nutrition 5 .
Exposure to chromium for the general population occurs primarily via food and drinking water, but
also through inhalation of ambient air. Cigarette smoking is another important source of chromium
exposure.
There is presently no EU regulation regarding maximum levels of chromium in food. For water
intended for human consumption, a quality standard of 50 µg/L for total chromium is laid down in
Council Directive 98/83/EC 6 , but no level is available specifically for chromium VI.
In 2011 the Hellenic Food Authority (EFET) monitored the presence of total chromium in food crops
and bottled water. In food crops concentrations of up to 0.96 mg/kg total chromium were measured.
All the tested samples of bottled water contained total chromium at concentrations lower than the
drinking water quality standard of 50 µg/L. However, there is evidence from the surveys carried out in
Greece that the concentrations of chromium VI can reach up to 36 µg/L in bottled water.
TERMS OF REFERENCE AS PROVIDED BY THE HELLENIC FOOD AUTHORITY (EFET)
In accordance with Art 29 (1) of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, the Hellenic Food Authority asks the
European Food Safety Authority to provide a scientific opinion on the risk to human health related to
the presence of chromium in food addressing particularly the presence of chromium in vegetables and
hexavalent chromium (chromium VI) in bottled water.
The scientific opinion should:
Consider any relevant information on toxicity of chromium III and chromium VI, considering
all relevant toxicological endpoints;
Assess the contribution of different foodstuffs to human exposure to total chromium. This
should particularly include the contribution of chromium in vegetables and chromium VI in
bottled water. An indication of non-dietary sources of exposure (e.g. air, cigarette smoke)
should be given.
Contain a dietary exposure assessment of chromium taking into account the recent analytical
results on the occurrence on chromium III and chromium VI in food and bottled water, and the
consumption patterns of specific (vulnerable) groups of the population (e.g. high consumers,
children, people following a specific diet, etc).
4 IARC Monograph on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans (1990). Chromium, Nickel and welding.
Volume 49. Available at: http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol49/mono49.pdf.
5 Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Food on the Tolerable Upper Intake Level of Trivalent Chromium (expressed in
4 April 2003). Available at http://ec.europa.eu/food/fs/sc/scf/out197_en.pdf
6 Council Directive 98/83/EC of 3 November 1998 on the quality of water intended for human consumption, OJ L 330,
5.12.98, p. 32-54.
EFSA Journal 2014;12(3):3595 9