A new ILSI Europe paper addresses the ambiguity of chemical contaminants
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM – Chemical contaminants in food represent a significant challenge for risk assessment and management. Definitions and interpretations differ among regulatory bodies and stakeholders. This ambiguity arises from a lack of consensus on what constitutes a "food contaminant" and on the criteria that should apply in defining it. A recent review entitled "The definition of chemical contaminants in food: ambiguity and consequences" delves into these issues, dissecting the complexities around what substances are considered contaminants, the criteria used in this designation, and the implications for public perception and food safety practices.
Currently, food contaminant definitions across regions differ substantially. For instance, European regulation defines contaminants as “substances not intentionally added to food as a result of production, manufacture, processing, preparation, treatment, packing, packaging, transport or holding or as result of environmental contamination”, while the Australia and New Zealand definition limits it to “any biological or chemical agent, foreign matter, or other substances that may compromise food safety or suitability” and the US FDA defines chemical contaminants as “a broad range of chemicals that may be present in food and that have the potential to cause harm”.
Consumers often associate food contaminants with health risks
To address this concern, ILSI Europe’s Food Contaminants Task Force convened an expert group of academics and industry leaders to evaluate the diversity of current definitions and related consequences. This initiative aimed to provide recommendations for harmonization and highlight the potential benefits of using a common understanding as a communication tool with stakeholders in the food chain.
The report, now published in Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, examines "harm" as a criterion, showing mixed results; hazard-based definitions can be overly broad, while risk-based approaches depend on specific exposure levels, leading to varied designations. For example, some contaminants like mycotoxins and heavy metals are universally recognized as contaminants due to their unintentional presence even when present at levels that do not present a risk, while regulated chemicals like Food Contact Materials and pesticides are debated and should perhaps preferably be referred to as residues rather than as contaminants.
The authors recommend a more harmonized definition, describing a contaminant as ‘a substance considered to require control measures due to the unacceptability of its context within a food’. By aligning definitions, communication among stakeholders—including consumers, regulators, and producers—can be improved, reducing misinterpretations and enhancing food safety policies.
Author’s comment
‘Consumers are often unaware of the health risks associated with contaminants that may be present in food due to environmental contamination and/or various stages of production, processing, and transport. A clear and universally accepted definition of "chemical contaminant" in food is lacking. The definition proposed in this review —"a substance considered to require control measures due to the unacceptability of its presence in a food context"— aims to be comprehensive, encompassing both intentional and unintentional presence, potential harm to human health, regulatory limits, and stakeholder perception.’ – Michelangelo Pascale, National Research Council of Italy
Citation
Ivonne M.C.M. Rietjens, Michelangelo Pascale, Gloria Pellegrino, Daniel Ribera, Armando Venâncio, Danlei Wang, Konrad Korzeniowski, The definition of chemical contaminants in food: Ambiguity and consequences, Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, Volume 155, 2025, 105739, ISSN 0273-2300, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yrtph.2024.105739.
About the authors
The expert who contributed to this work –Rietjens Ivonne M.C.M., Pascale Michelangelo, Pellegrino Gloria, Ribera Daniel, Venâncio Armando, Wang Danlei– are among the leading scientists in food safety and toxicology from both industry and academia. This representation across multiple sectors ensures objective and reliable content.
For more information about the Food Contaminants Task Force, visit https://ilsi.eu/scientific-activities/food-safety/food-contaminants/
About ILSI Europe
ILSI Europe is the European branch of the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI), a global, non-profit federation with 10 entities around the world. Our mission is to develop, communicate and disseminate science-based guidance to tackle food, public health, and sustainability challenges. We facilitate collaboration and consensus-building between academic, industry and public service experts. Learn more at ilsi.eu.
Contact
Konrad Korzeniowski, Scientific Project Manager: kkorzeniowski@ilsieurope.be