Intentional and Unintentional Contaminants in Food and Feed (Acs Symposium Series)

Assurance of the safety and quality of foods requires the constant vigilance of scientists (and others) in the food supply chain to the potential presence of contaminants. Most frequently, contaminants are naturally incurred, e.g. mycotoxins resulting from mold growth, minerals of concern from soils in which the food is grown, and pathogenic microbes. Scientists worldwide have developed programs and analytical methods to minimize the negative impacts of naturally occurring contaminants on humankind. More insidious perhaps, is the intentional adulteration of foods by addition of non-inherent materials (either as a substitution for an authentic component, or simple addition) for economic gain, i.e. increasing the perceived, and thus the sales value of the food. Often these substitutions do not result in a food safety issue per se (there may be nutrition impact); however, numerous instances have surfaced wherein the economic adulteration resulted in a negative safety impact to the...