Risk Assessment of Furan Exposure in the Norwegian Population

The Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety (Vitenskapskomiteen for mattrygghet, VKM) has on request of The Norwegian Food Safety Authority performed a risk assessment of furan intake in the Norwegian population based on the most recent national food consumption surveys. National occurrence data of furan concentrations in food were preferentially used in the risk assessment. When national data were lacking, VKM has used occurrence data of furan from other countries. The assessment has been performed by the VKM Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids, Materials in Contact with Food and Cosmetics and the VKM Panel on Contaminants. Furan is a volatile and lipophilic compound formed in a variety of heat-treated commercial foods and contributes to the sensory properties of the product. The substance has been found in a number of foods such as coffee, canned and jarred foods including baby food containing meat and various vegetables. High concentrations of furan have been found in coffee and the presence of furan in jarred baby food and infant formulae has received much attention since such products may be the sole diet for many infants. The occurrence of furan in a variety of foods suggests that there are multiple routes of furan formation rather than a single mechanism. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority has in 2008 and 2009 collected data on furan concentrations in different food products sold on the Norwegian market (Norwegian Food Safety Authority, 2008). In 2011, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority also decided to analyse commercial porridges for infants and children sold on the Norwegian market, to see if furan could be detected in such products. The calculated furan exposures from food and beverages are based on data from the nationally representative food consumption surveys; Spedkost, Småbarnskost, Ungkost and Norkost. The consumption for each relevant food or food category in the dietary surveys were multiplied with the corresponding mean furan concentrations and totalled for each individual. The liver is the main target organ for furan toxicity both in mice and rats, but the rat is the most sensitive species. A dose-dependent increase in hepatocellular adenomas and carcinomas was observed in mice and rats, and an increase in the incidence of cholangiocarcinomas was observed in rat liver. Cholangiocarcinomas in male and female rats were the most sensitive toxicological end point observed in rodents. On the basis of the av