3. FOOD ChEMISTRy & bIOTEChNOLOGy 3.1. Lectures

Chem. Listy, 102, s265–s1311 (2008) Food Chemistry & Biotechnology
Fig. 1. Total mercury concentration in selected foods in the
Czech Republic in 2006/2007
Fig. 2. Dietary exposure sources for total mercury in the Czech
Republic in 2006/2007
contaminated foods in time (years) and their contribution to
the exposure doses is plotted in Fig. 4.
The trend of exposure doses to total mercury is shown
in Fig. 5. There are included exposure doses for different
population groups in the Czech Republic during monitoring
period 1994–2007. The point estimate of health risk indicates
fluctuating trend with a slight tendency to increasing. The
most exposed group are children due to higher usual intake of
foods per kg of their body weight.
For assessment of human exposure and better health
risk characterization are often used also biomarkers (human
blood, urine or hair). This special approach is also used by the
national Institute of Public Health in the monitoring project
called “Biological monitoring” 6,7 . In Fig. 6. the behaviour of
the total dietary exposure with time is shown for monitored
period 1994–2007. Also in this figure the levels of mercury
in blood samples in selected years for adult Czech population
in the same period are shown.
s778
Fig. 3. Content of total mercury in selected foods
Fig. 4. Contribution of selected foods to the overall exposure
doses for total mercury
Discussion
The results from whole monitored period (1994–2007)
support an idea that foods containing the highest amounts
of total mercury are fish and fish products, delicate salads,
mushrooms, spices and rice (Fig. 1.). With regard to the significance
of foods as dietary exposure sources the most important
foods are as well fish and fish products, delicates salads
Fig. 5. Exposure doses: total mercury [μg kg –1 b.w. day –1 ] (consumption
models according to the food guide pyramide)
and rice. (Fig. 2.). It support an idea that the most hazardous
foods from exposure point of view are fish meat and fish products.
80–90 % of total mercury in fish is expected as MeHg
in muscle 8,9 . Then total mercury content is suitable indica-