Dioxin levels in meat samples of selected free-living and farmed cervids
Abstract
Introduction
The aim of the research was to determine the levels of dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in muscle samples of free-living and farmed cervids and to estimate the health risk to consumers of food originating from these animals.
Material and Methods
The research material was collected from red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) (n = 22), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) (n = 6) and fallow deer (Dama dama) (n = 6). The isotope dilution technique, supported by high resolution gas chromatography coupled with high resolution mass spectrometry was used.
Results
The average concentration of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzofurans and dioxin-like PCBs in the muscles of free-living cervids was 4.77 ± 2.92 pg World Health Organization toxic equivalency quotients (WHO-TEQ)/g fat, and in the muscles of farmed cervids was 1.85 ± 1.21 pg WHO-TEQ/g fat. Of the tested samples taken from free-living animals, approximately 13% did not meet the requirements of EC Regulation No. 2023/915 EU as they exceeded the maximum limit for congeners.
Conclusion
Both frequent and occasional consumption of meat obtained from free-living and farmed cervids do not pose a threat to human health, because estimated intake of the analysed congeners is very low from these sources. However, very frequent consumption of highly contaminated free-ranging wild game muscles can pose a health risk (in this pattern, an adult consumes dioxins at 133% of the tolerable weekly intake (TWI) and a child at 202% of the TWI).
© 2025 Małgorzata Warenik-Bany, Szczepan Mikołajczyk, Marek Pajurek, Sebastian Maszewski, Ewelina Bigoraj, published by National Veterinary Research Institute in Pulawy
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