Public concern over the presence of residues such as antibiotics and pesticides in food has risen in the past few years. safefood has responded to this concern by supporting projects involved in developing appropriate and efficient analytical methods to detect the presence of food contaminants.  Toxicology is a broad research topic incorporating areas ranging from the toxic effects of pesticide residues to the potential endocrine disrupting effects of soya-based foods.  Our toxicological remit also covers issues such as food allergies and hypersensitivity.

List of projects

Introduction and Set-up of a High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) System for the Detection & Determination of Preservatives, Sweeteners, Artificial Colours & Other Additives and Contaminants in Specified Foods (2002-2004)

This project will enable the food control laboratories to enhance their service provision. It will provide reassurance to consumers with regard to food additives, explore practices in areas where abuses may be going undetected and enhance data capture, collation and distribution so that future areas of work can be better targeted and prioritized.
 
Co-ordinating Researcher:
Mr Michael Walker

The introduction and set-up of the BioDetection Systems DR-CALUX cell culture assay for the detection of Dioxins in food (2002-2004)

The DR-CALUX assay uses genetically modified animal cells to detect, specifically and quantitatively, dioxin and dioxin-like PCB toxicity from a wide array of matrices, including foodstuffs. This assay detects dioxins based on their specific biological activity towards genetically modified living cells through light generation from the recombinant cells.
 
Co-ordinating Researcher:
Mr Peadar Canavan

Food safety challenges in Irish consumer refrigeration systems (2001-2004)

Project Code: 00-RESR-102

This project, involves a survey of the incidence of a range of significant food poisoning bacteria, including Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp., Listeria spp., Aeromonas spp. and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in domestic refrigerators in households throughout Ireland.  It also incorporated a survey by questionnaire of consumer food safety practices and knowledge.  The results of this project are being used to enhance safefood communication in terms of support of our new advertising campaign on fridge hygiene.
 
Co-ordinating Researcher:
Dr Declan Bolton

Development of a screening system capable of detecting a broad range of toxic and illegal drugs in red meat (2001-2004)

Project Code: 01-RESR-009

Clenbuterol (Angel Dust), the most widely abused drug in European farming over the past decade, has caused more cases of chemically derived food poisoning in Europe than any other substance. At present there is a wide array of illegal 'clenbuterol-like' drugs available to Irish farmers, which are undetectable by current analytical techniques. This is a major cause for concern. The primary objective of this research is to utilise recent advances in drug residue detection technology to develop a biosensor screening system capable of detecting a wide range of illegal drugs in red meat.  The tests developed will be used to determine the level of abuse currently occurring on the island of Ireland. In the future, regulatory laboratories could potentially use these tests to deter the illegal use of illegal growth promoters by unscrupulous farmers.
 
Co-ordinating Researcher:
Prof Richard O'Kennedy

Collaborating Researchers:
Dr Christopher Elliott

Project Code: 02-PG-027

One of the research recommendations that emerged from the WHO/FAO Acrylamide in Food Network was the need to develop simple low-cost method(s) to be used for routine monitoring.  safefood is sponsoring a research project on acrylamide which involves the design of a rapid and accurate test for this carcinogen.  It is hoped that two antibody-based tests for acrylamide will be designed and produced that can be used over a wide range of foods and in every human blood type, giving accurate and rapid results.  It is hoped that these tests will be made available worldwide to aid in the understanding of acrylamide formation in food and the impact it really has on human health.
 
Co-ordinating Researcher:
Dr Christopher Elliott

Poultry meat: improving food safety by improving chemical residue surveillance (2001-2005)

Project Code: 00-RESR-050 

Poultry are highly susceptible to the parasitic disease coccidiosis and, because of this, veterinary drugs called coccidiostats are routinely used in intensively poultry production. While they are very effective agents for this purpose, they have no nutritional value and have been shown to be toxic at high doses in laboratory animals. In addition, the toxicological information on these drugs is incomplete. While the likelihood of consumers being exposed to toxic levels is very low, best practice dictates that poultry food products should not contain residues of these drugs. It is therefore important for poultry and egg producers to ensure that this does not happen. This project entails the development of mechanisms to ensure that coccidiostat residues do not occur in poultry products. These include a specific analytical testing method for the detection of these drug residues in poultry.
 
Co-ordinating Researcher:
Dr Christopher Elliott  Queens University, Belfast

Collaborating Researchers:
Dr Michael O'Keeffe , Ashtown Research Centre, Teagasc.

Project Code: 01-RESR-057

This project involves the development of a rapid, sensitive and specific immunoassay to detect azaspiracid shellfish toxins. This toxin has been detected in shellfish harvested from around the islands of Britain and Ireland.  However, the current test is insensitive, with a long turn-about time. Successful application of this new assay will prevent contaminated shellfish containing concentrations in excess of the Food Safety Authority Ireland (FSAI) "safe" level entering the human food supply.
 
Co-ordinating Researcher:
Dr Terry McMahon, Marine Institute.

Collaborating Researchers:
Dr Christopher Elliott, Queens University, Belfast.

Project Code: 04-RESR-06

AZA is widely believed to be a true ‘global toxin’.  However due to the extreme difficulty of detecting the toxin is often believed that food poisoning episodes caused by AZA are blamed on a range of other toxins and microbial agents.  AZA is now considered to be one of the greatest public health risks associated with eating produce from the sea.  In addition, AZA could totally destroy the Irish shellfish industry due to the huge problems associated with detecting outbreaks early and decontaminating suspect produce. This project, which is a collaboration between QUB and DCU, builds on previous successes in the production of antibodies to AZA and advances the development of a rapid screening test for monitoring this very dangerous food related toxin on the IoI.

Co-ordinating Researcher: Prof Chris Elliott
Collaborating Researchers: Prof Richard O’Kennedy
Dr Ambrose Furey

Project Code: 04-PG-05

"Vitamin E is found in vegetable and seed oils, in wheat germ and, in smaller quantities, in meats, fish, fruits and vegetables. Epidemiological studies have shown an inverse correlation between acute coronary events and high intake of dietary vitamin E. Vitamin E may help prevent or delay coronary heart disease by limiting the oxidation of Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol. Vitamin E also may help prevent the formation of blood clots, which could lead to a heart attack. However, clinical trials with the main form of Vitamin E called Ą-T have been disappointing. Currently in Ireland, approximately 25% of adults augment their diets with commercially available nutritional supplements. This study will investigate the role of the different forms of vitamin E and their protective effects and will investigate the appropriateness of supplementation of the diet with vitamin E. The study will be carried out with special reference to the smokers, as other factors may have to be considered in the provision of advice to this subsection of the population."
 
Co-ordinating Researcher:
Dr JMW Wallace

Collaborating Researchers:
Dr Paula Robson

The quantification of genetically modified (GM) Soya and Maize in selected foods and authentication of meat in meat products using Real Time PCR techniques – an inter-laboratory collaborative Study.

The aim of this inter-laboratory study is to determine, across the island of Ireland, the level of GM soya and maize in certain foods.  It also aims to determine the extent of substitution or contamination of meat products by inferior meat species, in contravention of European food labelling legislation and in the interest of food safety and public health concerns.

It is a unique opportunity to establish a fully equipped DNA food testing laboratory facility and to develop inter-laboratory co-operation in a rapidly developing analytical area.

Food samples will be taken from three different sites in the Republic of Ireland and in Northern Ireland will include 100 soya products, 60 products containing maize and 40 meat products.  All samples will be analysed at the Cork Public Analyst Laboratory (PAL).

Researchers: Dr Fred Davidson, Cork (PAL)
  Mr Michael Walker (NIPAL)
  Northern Ireland Food Liaison Group (NIFLG)

LC-MS-MS Method Optimisation for determination of malachite and leuco malachite green in farmed finfish.

This project addresses an important gap in food safety assurance in the marine finfish sector by developing and validating an LC-MS-MS method for screening and confirmation of malachite green and leuco-malachite green in farmed fish.  Malachite green has been widely used as a fungicide and ectoparasiticide in the fish farming industry.  Although an illegal substance, there is still evidence of use due to low cost, efficacy and lack of suitable alternative.  The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has signalled its desire for greater capacity within Ireland to monitor for these substances in Salmon.  The output of this project will contribute to the overall consumer confidence in farmed finfish and will thus underpin the sustainable development of the €50 million Irish finfish sector.  The new state of the art LC-MS-MS will provide rapid confirmation of positive screening samples, which will contribute to preventing contaminated seafood products researching the market.  Additionally it will assist in the efficient follow up investigation and possible prosecution of offenders using malachite green.

Researchers Dr Peter Heffernan & Dr. Evin McGovern – Marine Institute
Dr Pascal Sanders, Agence Francaise de Secuirte Sanitare des Aliments

Project Code: 04-RESR-03

There has been much concern over the presence of natural toxins in health food products in
recent years.  Two groups of products have been particularly highlighted and are of particulare concern.These are aristolochic acid which have been found in different Chinese herbal medicines and they are known to be carcinogenic, mutagenic and cytotoxic. The microcystins and nodularin are by-products of algal blooms and are hepatotoxic and also blue-green algal products which are known to be hepatoxic. Concern about these toxins has led to recent notification being issued by agencies such as Health Canada and the US Food and Drug Administration.

The principal objective of this project is to investigate the presence of aristolochic acids and the two main blue green algae toxins called cicroystin and nodularin in health products consumed on the island of Ireland. This project will develop state of the art analytical technologies.  These technologies will then be applied in an all-island survey of Chinese medicines and health products available on the market, allowing the identification and the subsequent removal from the marketplace of potentially unsafe products.

Researchers: Dr Martin Danaher, Teagasc
  Dr Andrew Baxter, Xenosence Ltd