Millennium EditionSUMMARIES OF SYMPOSIA & MEETINGS A Workshop on FUMONISINS RISK ASSESSMENT, organized by the FDA/JIFSAN, was held at the University of Maryland on January 10-12, 2000. The introductory lectures on the importance of science-based risk as-sessment and a global perspective on exposure as-sessment of mycotoxins were presented by two World Health Organization officers, Drs. John Herman and Gerald Moy, who stressed the role and efforts made at this regard by several international organizations to protect human health. Previous studies on safety/risk assessment of fumonisins performed in Canada, The Netherlands, the European Nordic Countries, South Africa and Unites States have been presented together with data on the occurrence of fumonisins in several geographic areas and in different products from both dry and wet maize milling. With respect to the chemistry of fumonisins, the following topics have been dicussed: 1) Production of high amounts of pure fumonisins for toxicological studies; 2) Problems of low efficiency of toxin extraction and cleanup encountered in the analysis of maize based food products and possible solutions; 3) Needs for fast and reliable methods applicable in the field; 4) Sampling methods and proficiency testing. Lectures relevant to animal toxicology and mechanisms of action included nephrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, carcin-ogenicity, leukoencephalomalacia, immunotoxicity, and toxicokinetics, disruption of sphingolipid metabolism in relation to folate receptor-mediated vitamin uptake and cell apoptosis followed by regeneration. Prospects on control and reduction of fumonisin contamination both in the field, through increased resistance to insect or fungal infection, and during processing were presented. Despite the great deal of occurrence data in corn products worldwide, the need of additional and more reliable data on human epidemiology was pointed out, and continuing work for identifying and validate effective biomarkers of human exposure was recommended. After agreeing that special attention should be given to populations using maize as a major source of their protein consumption, it was shown that in most developed countries fumonisin levels are kept below those potentially at risk for human health. At conclusion of the discussion and open fora on risk assessment and risk management, it was announced that most likely interim guidelines for fumonisin limits would be issued soon in the United States as a preventitive action, based also on the fact that safety levels can be easily achieved with adequate controls throughout the food chain by corn refiners and food processors. Contact: Dr. Susie H. Humphreys, CFSAN, FDA, HFS-308, 200 C Street, SW, Washington, DC 20204, USA. Tel: +1-202-205-2670; E-Mail: shumphre@cfsan.fda.gov |