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3 . 2021

Risk assessment for public health associated with nitrate content in crop products

Abstract

The increasing need of the population for crop products (CP) makes continuous monitoring of nitrate content an increasingly urgent task. The accumulation of multidirectional data on the effect of nitrates on the state of the body requires further studies to assess the alimentary risk caused by their admission to the population of various regions.

The aim of the work was to study the levels of nitrate contamination of CP and assess the associated risk to the health of children and adults in the Baikal Region.

Material and methods. The characteristics of CP contamination with nitrates were given according to the results of socio-hygienic monitoring for 2015-2019. The exposure to nitrates was estimated according to the data of their chronic daily intake with RP. Reference exposure levels were used to calculate hazard quotients for different age groups of the population.

Results. The average number of annual studies in the Republic of Buryatia was 1000.6 [95% confidence interval (CI) 887.4-1113.8], the proportion of CP with nitrate content in concentrations above the permissible level was observed on average with a frequency of 4.51% (95% CI 4.11-4.91), which was 3.6 fold higher than the Russian average for 2019 - 1.26%. The alimentary effect of nitrates on the adult population of the Republic of Buryatia, due to admission from CP, was estimated as permissible at the level of the average centile trend, and as unfavorable at the level of the 90th centile. In children, nitrate exposure lead to an unacceptable risk at the level of the average centile tendency of the content of the contaminant in CP, which exceeded 1.0. A comparative analysis of CP safety indicators revealed the priority of nitrate pollution in a number of areas of the Republic of Buryatia. The high levels of CP nitrate contamination are primarily caused by the entrance of local products to the consumer market of the Republic of Buryatia.

Conclusion. Taken together, the current situation poses a certain health risk and necessitates further in-depth study of the causes and factors of nitrate contamination. To reduce health risk assessment uncertainties, it is necessary to update data on CP consumption levels among different population groups, including preschool and infant children.

Keywords:crop production, quality and safety, nitrates, risk assessment, nitrate pollution

Funding. The work was carried out at the expense of funds allocated for the implementation of the state task

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

For citation: Bogdanova O.G., Efimova N.V., Bagaeva E.E., Tarmaeva N.A. Risk assessment for public health associated with nitrate content in crop products. Voprosy pitaniia [Problems of Nutrition]. 2021; 90 (3): 40–9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33029/0042-8833-2021-90-3-40-49 (in Russian)

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CHIEF EDITOR
CHIEF EDITOR
Viktor A. Tutelyan
Full Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Scientific Director of the Federal Research Centre of Nutrition, Biotechnology and Food Safety (Moscow, Russia)

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