Dioxin and PCB monitoring in Greek food products during the period 2002–2022 and preliminary assessment of general population exposure through the diet

Human dietary exposure to polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs) and non dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (NDL-PCBs) is of worldwide scientific concern due to the health hazards associated with these compounds. In this study an estimation of the dietary intake of adolescents and adults in Greece was attempted for the first time. Representative samples from food categories widely consumed in Greece were collected and analyzed during a period of 21 years (2002-2022). Occurrence data found were combined with food consumption data available in the EFSA Comprehensive Food Consumption Database, to assess the dietary exposure of the Greek population. The food group with the highest total (PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs) mean upperbound concentration was "fish and seafood" with 0.71 pg WHO-TEQ g^-1 wet weight (ww) (9.68 pg WHO-TEQ g^-1 fat) and the one with the lowest mean WHO-TEQ concentration was the "vegetable oil" group, 0.35 pg WHO-TEQ g^-1 fat. The highest amounts of indicator PCBs (ind-PCBs), were detected in the "fish and seafood'' category (5.25 ng g^-1 ww, 86.8 ng g^-1 fat) whereas the lowest mean concentration was found in eggs (1.56 ng g^-1 fat). For adult Greek population the average daily intake in PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs is 1.02 pg WHO-TEQ kg body weight^-1 (bw), which corresponds to 7.14 pg WHO-TEQ kg bw^-1 weekly intake whereas the average daily intake in ind.-PCBs is 5.51 ng kg bw^-1. The main contributor to the total dietary intake in PCDD/Fs and PCBs is the "fish and seafood" category. The general background dietary exposure of the Greek population to PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs estimated is within the tolerable daily intake (TDI) value range of 1-4 pg WHO-TEQ kg bw ^-1 proposed by the WHO in 1998, but exceeds the tolerable weekly intake (TWI) of 2 pg WHO-TEQ kg bw^-1 proposed in the updated scientific opinion of the EFSA CONTAM Panel in 2018.