Chemical Testing for Northern Ireland

• Value: £1

Contamination of food and feed with metals and nitrogenous compounds can pose various risks to human health and chronic exposure can lead to long-term health problems. Acute poisoning due to sudden high exposure can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and neurological disturbances, with vulnerable populations being more susceptible to the adverse effects of contamination. Maximum allowable limits for these contaminants in food have been set to protect public health. Heavy metals in foods are contaminant substances that have not been intentionally added. They may be present in food as a result of the various stages of production, packaging, transport or holding. They can also result from environmental contamination. Such contamination has a negative impact on the quality of food and may imply a risk to human health. European legislation (EU 2023/915) lays down maximum allowed limits in foodstuffs including heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, mercury, inorganic arsenic, total arsenic and inorganic tin. Nitrogenous compounds include chemicals such as nitrates and nitrites. Nitrites and nitrates are naturally present in vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, celery and beetroot. These are the main sources of dietary exposure to nitrates with only around 5% coming from use as a food additive. Nitrites and Nitrates are also used as preservatives in certain cheeses and cured meats and excessive consumption can lead to the formation of nitrosamines, which are potential carcinogens but their main role as a food additive is to reduce the growth of harmful microorganisms such as Clostridium botulinum. High levels of ammonia in food can also cause gastrointestinal issues, liver damage, and respiratory problems and can lead to kidney dysfunction.

• Value: £1

Food processing contaminants are substances that form in food or in food ingredients when they undergo chemical changes during processing. Processing methods include high-temperature cooking, fermentation, smoking, drying, refining of vegetable and animal fats. These chemicals may be harmful to health and some are carcinogenic. Examples include acrylamide, 3-MCPD and glycidyl esters, Furans and Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

• Value: £1

Halogenated Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) contaminants can be found in found in food and feed. They are toxic and persistent chemicals and their effects on human health include dermal toxicity, immunotoxicity, reproductive effects and teratogenicity, endocrine disruption and carcinogenicity. They are present in the environment, especially from pollution events and there are concerns around negative human health effects from long-term exposure to even the smallest amounts of Halogenated Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). Examples include PCBs and dioxins, brominated and fluorinated persistent contaminants such as flame retardants.