Joanna Szlinder-Richert

Fish products available in Polish market - assessment of the nutritive value and human exposure to dioxins and other contaminants.

Chemical analyses were performed on one hundred and twenty of the most popular varieties of fish products (smoked fish, salted fish, and marinated fish) of the fish market in Poland. The contents of the nutritive substances of fish products (protein, micro- and macronutrients, vitamins A(1), D(3), E, and fatty acids) and the chosen contaminant (toxic metals--mercury, cadmium, lead, arsenic; dioxin/furans--PCDDFs; dioxin-like PCB--dl-PCBs; seven congeners of polybrominated diphenyl ethers--PBDEs; organochlorine pesticides--SigmaDDT, HCB, SigmaHCH and marker polychlorinated biphenyls--PCB(7)) levels were determined. It was confirmed that fish products are a good source of digestible proteins, iodine, selenium, and vitamin D(3). The fundamental nutritive benefit of processed fish lies in its highly beneficial fatty acid composition, which is what imparts them healthy nutritive qualities. The high content of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs), which is not noted in other food products, is particularly important. The majority of contaminants studied were present in low levels. The possible threats, particularly in the case of pregnant/nursing women and young children, can pose the levels of dioxin/furans (PCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like (dl-PCBs) in smoked Baltic salmon and smoked sprat, elevated in a relation to particular requirements concerning the content of sum of PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs in fish (8pg WHO-TEQg(-1)). The health benefits and risks stemming from consumption of fish products were determined according to the Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) for chosen contaminants (Cd, Hg, As, PCDD/Fs+dl-PCB) and the quantity of ingredients that render a fish diet healthy based on data from the EFSA Journal [EFSA (European Food Safety Authority), 2005. Opinion of the scientific panel on contaminants in the food chain on a request from the European Parliament related to the safety assessment of wild and farmed fish. EFSA J. 236, 1-118]. In regard of high content of LC-PUFAa and other nutritive ingredients, fish products available in Polish market may be considered as healthy food. However, many authors point at contaminants (methylmercury, PCDD/Fs) occurring in fish and fish products as on potential health problem, and emphasize that the amount of that hazardous substances should be limited in human diet.

PCBs in fish from the southern Baltic Sea: levels, bioaccumulation features, and temporal trends during the period from 1997 to 2006.

Levels of seven marker polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been determined in five species of Baltic fish collected during 1997-2006. Downward time trends in the concentrations of heavier congeners of PCBs in different Baltic fish, with the exception of cod, have been observed between 1997 and 2001. In case of sprat and herring samples, the statistical significance of the time trends of the PCBs: 101, 118, 153, 138 and 180 concentrations has been proved. Species-specific bioaccumulation of PCBs has been indicated, and the lowest and highest levels of PCBs (expressed on the basis of lipid weight) have been observed in sprat and salmon samples, respectively. PCB profiles have been found to be similar in all the fish species tested. Sampling location has not been a crucial factor for the observed levels of various PCBs. In some fish species, PCB concentrations are negatively correlated with the fat content but have no relation with the fish length.

MFAME, N-methyl-N-d-fructosyl amphotericin B methyl ester, a new amphotericin B derivative of low toxicity: relationship between self-association and effects on red blood cells

In aqueous solutions N-methyl-N-D-fructosyl amphotericin B methyl ester (MFAME), a novel amphotericin B derivative with low animal toxicity, similar to its parent antibiotic, exists in three forms: monomeric, soluble and insoluble aggregates in equilibrium [1]. The aim of our work was to examine the influence of medium composition on the MFAME self-association and the relationship between MFAME self-association and its toxicity towards red blood cells. The toxicity of MFAME in aggregated state towards red blood cells was tested by measuring the induction of potassium leakage and extent of haemolysis. The proportions of antibiotic species present in various aqueous media were determined by analysis of the UV-Vis spectra as a function of the antibiotic concentration. Numeric decomposition of the spectra allowed identification of four spectral species present in MFAME solutions: monomeric and three aggregated forms. Our results indicate that these aggregates, named type I, type II and type III, are different in terms of spectral properties, as well as effectiveness towards red blood cells. Soluble aggregate types I and III are the active forms of MFAME towards erythrocytes. The medium composition seems to be the main factor determining which type of antibiotic aggregate prevails in solution.

Marine and farmed fish on the Polish market: Comparison of the nutritive value and human exposure to PCDD/Fs and other contaminants

Chemical analyses were performed in nine fish species that are popular on the Polish market. These included Baltic fish (cod, herring, salmon), fish farmed in Poland (carp, trout), marine fish imported from China (Alaska pollock, sole), and farmed fish imported from Vietnam and China (sutchi catfish, tilapia). The nutritional composition (amino acid, micro- and macronutrients, fat-soluble vitamins - A(1), D(3), E) and certain contaminants (organochlorine pesticides, OCPs; indicator polychlorinated biphenyl, PCB(6); polychlorinated dibenzo-paradioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans, PCDD/Fs; dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls, dl-PCBs; organotin compounds, OCTs; dyes, malachite green and crystal violet; veterinary drug residues, nitrofurans and chloramphenicol; toxic metals, Cd, Pb, Hg) in the muscle tissues of fish were determined. It was confirmed that the fish species analyzed were excellent sources of amino acids, and were rich in phosphorous and selenium. Baltic Sea fish (salmon, herring), fish farmed in Poland (carp and trout), and tilapia were also rich in vitamin D(3). Traces of OCP, PCB(6), OCT, dyes, veterinary drug residues, and heavy metals were detected in concentrations which do not pose a threat to consumers at the current rate of fish consumption in Poland. However, the problem might arise from the content of PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs in fatty Baltic fish. The fish species analyzed, differed in their nutritional values and degrees of contamination. We suggest that for optimum health and safety, it is advisable that consumers include a variety of different fish species in their diets.

Study on the raw fish oil purification from PCDD/F and dl-PCB-industrial tests.

The results of tests for the purification of fish oils with activated carbon for industrial use are presented. The optimum parameters for the process of purification (granulation of the activated carbon, its dosage, the oil temperature, and the duration of mixing the oil with activated carbon) were previously established for the laboratory scale. The optimization of the process consisted of selecting purification parameters that would allow for maximum reduction of the toxic polychlorinated dibenzo-para-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) content, while retaining the favorable high fatty acid content [C20:5 n-3, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and C22:6 n-3, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)]. The use of that optimum parameters in industrial conditions confirmed the satisfactory results obtained in laboratory tests. Five types of oil derived from various Baltic fish were purified. Reduction in the PCDD/Fs content was 77.0-93.6% on average, whereas in the dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs)-it was 42.7-50.5% on average, with insignificant changes in the total amount of EPA and DHA content. Furthermore, a significant reduction in the content of arsenic was noted (by about 62% on average), with insignificant changes in the content of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), and marker polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), cadmium, lead, and mercury. Purification provided fish oil having standardized parameters that allow for its use as feed additives, whilst retaining its favorable fatty acid content.

Organochlorine pollutants in European eel (Anguilla anguilla L.) from Poland.

The purpose of the current paper is to report the levels of OC pesticides ([summation operator]HCHs, HCB, [summation operator]DDTs), marker PCBs, PCDD/Fs, and dl-PCBs in the muscle tissue of European eel, Anguilla anguilla (L.), collected in the Vistula and Szczecin lagoons (Poland), and in the local market. The results obtained were evaluated according to maximum limits adopted by EU, and some national legislatures. The intake of organochlorine contaminants from the consumption of eel from Polish waters is also estimated. The residues of tested contaminants ranged between: 0.6 and 6.0 ng g(-1)ww for [summation operator]HCHs; 9.8 and 273.9 ng g(-1)ww for [summation operator]DDTs; 0.4 and 23.8 ng g(-1)ww for HCB; 4.0 and 533.9 ng g(-1)ww [summation operator](7)PCBs; 0.72 and 8.14 pg-WHO-TEQ g(-1) ww for [summation operator]PCDD/F/DL-PCBs. The levels of OCPs, and PCDD/F/dl-PCBs in the muscle tissues of eels captured in the Vistula and Szczecin lagoons were compliant with European regulations.

Functional Properties of Fish and Fish Products: A Review

This article presents a review on the functional constituents of fish and fish products originating from different basins. In recent years, increasing attention has been focused on the significance of polyunsaturated fatty acids in human nutrition. Polyunsaturated fatty acids are classed according to the position of the first double bond in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. The omega-3 family includes the fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. The acids eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid are focused on in this article because of their importance in reducing the risks of cardiovascular disorders. In addition, the article highlights other functional components (essential amino acids, vitamin D3, selenium) whose levels in fish are higher than in other foodstuffs. The presented data show, that in addition to nutritive effects, fish and fish products contribute to a decreased incidence of diseases. Fish and fish products also contribute to the improvement of certain bodily functions.

The occurrence of organic contaminants in European eel (Anguilla anguilla) in Poland: an environmental quality assessment.

The objective of the present study was to provide information on the levels of pollutants in the tissues of eels caught in Polish waters. The contaminants included in the study are those which have not yet been widely studied in eel stocks, but which arouse concern in relation to the environment. An overview of the pollutant levels in eels caught in other European waters was also conducted. The results are evaluated in terms of environmental quality and consumer health. The mean concentrations of ΣPBDEs and ΣHBCDs in muscles of eels sampled in Polish waters were between 1 and 2 ng g(-1) ww. The mean TBT concentrations were between 2 and 4 ng g(-1)ww with the exception of samples from the Szczecin Lagoon, in which the mean TBT concentration was about tenfold higher.