Trends in Food Science & Technology, 55 (2016) 11–28
Concern about the effects on health of exposure of combined chemicals present in food, air or water are increasing nowadays. However, mechanism and effects of combined chemical contaminants are still poorly know.
This review deals with the variety of routes of these chemicals when enter the human body. The gaol is the development of a mechanism-based and quantitative framework for risk assessment to estimate the impact on human health and prevent exposure to multiple chemicals.
It has been shown that new studies should be developed taking into account cumulative effect of these substances and different tiers as external exposition, dietary exposition, lifestyle, age and economic factors. New techniques must also be implemented, mainly “omic” techniques, bioassay systems, mathematical modelling, quantitative structure-activity relationship models, and threshold of toxicological concern to develop databases. In conclusion, several programs should continuously be developed by different health agencies to have a better understanding of the effect of these substances and to develop a unified policy.
