Andrew Strak (abstrak@accesswave.ca)
Sat, 4 Dec 1999 16:03:07 -0400
Greg,
Please check the following links. Apparently fluoride can have a highly
negative impact on aqua-life at the level encountered daily in our drinking
water supply. Since drinking water and toothpaste are the two sources of the
mineral where it is intentionally added and is/can be swallowed, ingested
and it is discharged in large quantities as waste, therefere some relevant
excerpts enclosed for your review and reference. The European values for
vitamins, minerals and trace element in nutritionally complete foods other
than those intended for use by infants stipulate the level of fluoride at
maximum 0.2 mg/100 kcal.
Andrew Strak
http://www.sonic.net/~kryptox/environ/salmon.htm
http://www.sonic.net/~kryptox/nutri/alberts.htm
21 CFR 165.110
(h) Fluoride supplement. A special treatment rinse dosage form that
is intended to be swallowed, and is promoted to health professionals for
use in areas where the water supply contains 0 to 0.7 parts per million
(ppm) fluoride ion.
(ii)(A) Bottled water packaged in the United States to which no
fluoride is added shall not contain fluoride in excess of the levels in
Table 1 and these
[[Page 503]]
levels shall be based on the annual average of maximum daily air
temperatures at the location where the bottled water is sold at retail.
Table 1
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fluoride
Annual average of maximum daily air temperatures ( concentration in
deg.F) milligrams per
liter
------------------------------------------------------------------------
53.7 and below........................................ 2.4
53.8-58.3............................................. 2.2
58.4-63.8............................................. 2.0
63.9-70.6............................................. 1.8
70.7-79.2............................................. 1.6
79.3-90.5............................................. 1.4
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(B) Imported bottled water to which no fluoride is added shall not
contain fluoride in excess of 1.4 milligrams per liter.
(C) Bottled water packaged in the United States to which fluoride is
added shall not contain fluoride in excess of levels in Table 2 and
these levels shall be based on the annual average of maximum daily air
temperatures at the location where the bottled water is sold at retail.
Table 2
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fluoride
Annual average of maximum daily air temperatures ( concentration in
deg.F) milligrams per
liter
------------------------------------------------------------------------
53.7 and below........................................ 1.7
53.8-58.3............................................. 1.5
58.4-63.8............................................. 1.3
63.9-70.6............................................. 1.2
70.7-79.2............................................. 1.0
79.3-90.5............................................. 0.8
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(D) Imported bottled water to which fluoride is added shall not
contain fluoride in excess of 0.8 milligram per liter.
(iii) Having consulted with EPA as required by section 410 of the
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the Food and Drug Administration
has determined that bottled water, when a composite of analytical units
of equal volume from a sample is examined by the methods listed in
paragraphs (b)(4)(iii)(E) through (b)(4)(iii)(F), and (b)(4)(iii)(G) of
this section, shall not contain the following chemical contaminants in
excess of the concentrations specified in paragraphs (b)(4)(iii)(A)
through (b)(4)(iii)(D) of this section.
(A) The allowable levels for inorganic substances are as follows:
European Sources:
Consumer Health Protection Scientific Committees Scientific Committee on
Food Previous outcome of discussions
Opinion On Arsenic, Barium, Fluoride, Boron And Manganese In Natural Mineral
Waters (Expressed On 13 December 1996)
3. Fluoride (F)
Evaluation
In 1992 the SCF concluded that there does not appear to be a specific
physiological requirement for fluoride and no specific recommendations was
made (SCF, 1993). However, it was recognised that the element is beneficial
to dental health at low intakes while on the other hand fluoride excess
(fluorosis) is endemic in many parts of the world.
Fluoride has been subject to a series of acute, short term, and long term
studies, but given the limited character of these animal studies and the
large body of data on the toxic effects of fluoride in humans the latter
data have priority in the derivation of long-term tolerable intakes for
humans.
In humans, acute toxic effects have been reported at doses of 1-10 mg/kg
b.w. with values of 14-140 mg/kg b.w. being reported for the acute lethal
oral dose of soluble fluorides. The long-term adverse effects starts in its
mild form at concentrations within the "beneficial" range with a mild dental
fluorosis prevalence of 12-33 % being reported for concentrations in
drinking-water of 0.9-1.2 mg/litre. The clinical picture of dental fluorosis
in the mild form consists of the presence of opaque white areas on the teeth
and is normally considered as a cosmetic effect rather than an adverse
effect. Severe forms of this condition occur already at concentrations of
5-7 mg F/litre; in such cases the tooth enamel can become brittle enough to
fracture at incisal edges and cusp tips. Climate has been identified as a
factor determining the degree to which dental fluorosis will develop. In
areas with a temperate climate, manifest dental fluorosis occurs at
concentrations above 1.5-2.0 mg/litre whereas in warmer areas, the same
effect may be already present at lower concentrations i.e. 0.7 -1.2
mg/litre. This may be attributed to greater water consumption in warmer
climates (RIVM, 1989; EUREAU, 1991; WHO, 1992; US-NRC, 1993).
Skeletal fluorosis consists of adverse changes in bone structure due to
continuous deposition of fluoride in the bone. The minimum dose required for
production of skeletal fluorosis in its various degrees is not known
exactly. However various studies of population groups indicate that at
levels below 4 mg F/day there is no hazard of a significant degree of
accumulation, 6-20 mg/day causes skeletal fluorosis to some degree while the
severe form, crippling skeletal fluorosis, requires a daily dose of 20-80
mg. (RIVM, 1989; WHO, 1992; ATSDR, 1993). Fluoride has been used in the past
in the treatment of osteoporosis however, clinical trials indicate that the
effectiveness of this treatment is questionable. Population studies on bone
fracture rate of fluoride in drinking water have also yielded inconclusive
results (US-NRC, 1993).
Many mutagenicity studies are available, mostly carried out with NaF
(US-NRC, 1993). It has been found negative in bacterial systems; it was
positive in cultured mammalian cells (at gene and chromosome level) only at
cytotoxic concentrations, probably by an indirect mechanism. So far, no
adequate in vivo data are available.
According to IARC (1987) the limited animal data available were evaluated as
inadequate. More recent NTP studies performed in rats and mice have shown an
increased incidence of osteosarcomas only in male rats. This effect was
evaluated by NTP as equivocal evidence (NTP, 1990; US-NRC, 1993).
Numerous epidemiological studies have been carried out to investigate
whether there is a relation between the occurrence of cancer and the
exposure to fluoride via drinking-water. IARC concluded that the studies
provide inadequate evidence for carcinogenicity in humans (IARC 1982, 1987).
More recent studies also have not supplied evidence that there is a relation
between fluoride in drinking-water and cancer mortality. (RIVM 1989); ATSDR,
1993).
Conclusion
On the basis of the data reviewed above especially as concerns the
occurrence of dental fluorosis at concentrations above 0.7 mg/l (warm
climates) and 1.5 mg/l (temperate climates), the Committee has no reason to
deviate from the level of 1.5 mg/l, as given in the proposed amendment3 to
the existing drinking water Directive, and concludes that this level should
also apply to natural mineral waters.
ATSDR (1993) Toxicological profile for Fluorides, Hydrogen Fluoride, and
Fluoride (F). Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry - U.S. Public
Health Service, report no. TP-91/19, dated April 1993
RIVM (1989) Integrated Criteria Document Fluorides: Effects. Appendix to
RIVM report no. 75847010, dated September 1989. Authors: P. J. C. M.
Janssen, A. G. A. C. Knaap & J. A. Janus. National Institute of Public
Health and Environmental Protection (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
US-NRC (1993) Health effects of ingested fluoride. U. S. A. National
Research Council - Subcommittee on Health Effects of Ingested Fluoride,
Washington, National Academy Press, 1993. ISBN 0-309-04975-X
Dietary reference intakes (DRIs) for calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin
D, and fluoride.
Journal: Nutr-today. Baltimore, Md. : Williams & Wilkins. Oct 1997. v.
32 ( 5) p. 182-188.; 1997; 0029-666X
----- Original Message -----
From: Seafood Inspection Services
To: seafood@ucdavis.edu
Sent: Friday, December 03, 1999 2:16 PM
Subject: Flouride Levels
Can anyone please provide some information on naturally occurring fluoride
in shrimp products.
What are the tolerance levels for the USA and EU.
Are there ways to reduce it during processing.
Thank you,
g
Gregg Morrow
Seafood Inspection Services
PO Box 25587
Seattle, WA 98125
Ph 206-524-3001
Fax 206-524-8656
Email gregg@fishinspector.com
Web www.fishinspector.com
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