Browsing by Author "Vasco, E."
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- 4th International Conference on Food Contaminants (ICFC) 2021: Challenges on early-life exposure: Book of abstractsPublication . Vasco, E.; Martins, C.; Serrenho, I.; Assunção, R.; Alvito, P.(...) Exposure to hazardous chemicals during first 1000 days of life has been linked to an increased risk of a number of health disorders.There is growing evidence that early-life exposure to chemical hazards can lead to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in adulthood including cancer, diabetes, obesity and auto-immune diseases. Because cells are rapidly dividing and organ systems are developing during childhood and adolescence, exposure to carcinogens during these early life stages is a major risk factor for cancer later in life. Exposure during early-life due to food ingestion of toxic chemicals seems to have a critical role on the rapid epidemiological rise of obesity as well as a trans-generational transmission of risk of later obesity. Some reports provide evidence of a link between early-life adverse events (ELAE)-induced intestinal barrier disruption, inflammation, epigenetic modifications, and the occurrence of late metabolic disorders (MD), including obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Changes in neurobehavior, sexual development, the prevalence of asthma and allergy, among others, have shown to be associated with chemical contaminants exposure at early-life stages. Early-life is a critical sensitive window of susceptibility. Therefore, this conference will aim to gather research scientists, health and food professionals, regulatory entities, and students to discuss different perspectives on this particular period of life in order to debate i) the risks associated with exposing vulnerable populations to chemicals, in particular, food contaminants and ii) toxic effects of early-life exposure to chemicals. This conference is promoted within the framework of the earlyMYCO national project, funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), Portugal, aiming to assess the impact of early-life exposure to mycotoxins and their potential impact on human health. (...)
- Aplicação de uma ferramenta de análise probabilística da exposiçãoPublication . Assunção, R.; Vasco, E.; Nunes, Baltazar; Alvito, PaulaUm dos aspetos mais importantes da avaliação de risco das micotoxinas é a determinação da exposição alimentar.
- A conceptual framework for the collection of food products in a Total Diet StudyPublication . Turrini, A.; Lombardi-Boccia, G.; Aureli, F.; Cubadda, F.; D'Addezio, L.; D'Amato, M.; D'Evoli, L.; Darnerud, P.; Devlin, N.; Dias, M.G.; Jurković, M.; Kelleher, C.; Le Donne, C.; López Esteban, M.; Lucarini, M.; Martinez Burgos, M.; Martínez-Victoria, E.; McNulty, B.; Mistura, L.; Nugent, A.; Oktay Basegmez, H.; Oliveira, L.; Ozer, H.; Perelló, G.; Pite, M.; Presser, K.; Sokolić, D.; Vasco, E.; Volatier, J.L.A total diet study (TDS) provides representative and realistic data for assessing the dietary intake of chemicals, such as contaminants and residues, and nutrients, at a population level. Reproducing the diet through collection of customarily consumed foods and their preparation as habitually eaten is crucial to ensure representativeness, i.e., all relevant foods are included and all potential dietary sources of the substances investigated are captured. Having this in mind, a conceptual framework for building a relevant food-shopping list was developed as a research task in the European Union's 7th Framework Program project, 'Total Diet Study Exposure' (TDS-Exposure), aimed at standardising methods for food sampling, analyses, exposure assessment calculations and modelling, priority foods, and selection of chemical contaminants. A stepwise approach following the knowledge translation (KT) model for concept analysis is proposed to set up a general protocol for the collection of food products in a TDS in terms of steps (characterisation of the food list, development of the food-shopping list, food products collection) and pillars (background documentation, procedures, and tools). A simple model for structuring the information in a way to support the implementation of the process, by presenting relevant datasets, forms to store inherent information, and folders to record the results is also proposed. Reproducibility of the process and possibility to exploit the gathered information are two main features of such a system for future applications.
- Exposure assessment of total DON in urine of Portuguese adult population under the HBM4EU aligned studiesPublication . Alvito, P.C.; Silva, M.J.; Viegas, S.; Vasco, E.; Martins, C.; Assunção, R.; Silva, S.; Gilles, L.; Govarts, E.; Schoeters, G.; Namorado, S.Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of fungi that can be found in food commodities. Exposure to mycotoxins has been associated with several adverse health effects, including hepatotoxicity. nephrotoxicity, immunotoxicity, mutagenicity and carcinogenicity.As such, from a public health perspective it is important to monitor and to assess the risk associated to mycotoxins’ exposure. In the scope of the European Human Biomonitoring Initiative (HBM4EU), exposure to mycotoxins, namely to deoxynivalenol (DON) was analysed in adults from several European countries, including Portugal. Data was collected under the project “Exposure of the Portuguese Population to Environmental Chemicals: a study nested in INSEF 2015”. INSEF-ExpoQuim, was an epidemiological study nested in the first Portuguese Health Examination Survey (INSEF), that enrolled individuals aged 28–39 years, living in Portugal for more than 12 months and able to follow an interview in Portuguese. Fieldwork was developed between May 2019 and March 2020 and first morning urine samples were collected along with data on socio-demographic characteristics, living conditions and residential history, habits/ lifestyle, nutrition, health, occupation and substance specific information covering nearly all exposure pathways. Procedures followed the guidelines of HBM4EU. Total DON (sum of free DON + DONglucuronides after deconjugation) was determined in 295 urine samples by a qualified laboratory and using a harmonized analytical method. Results: showed that the Portuguese population was exposed to DON (mean = 9.8 mg/L; 95% CI: 8.7–10.9 mg/L). DON concentrations were significantly higher for samples collected in spring and summer. Individuals living in rural areas and with a lower education levels presented higher exposures to DON, as well as individuals with a higher bread consumption frequency (≥4 times per week). No differences were found regarding sex, age, occupation, income or consumption of other foods. Comparing this study’s data with the human biomonitoring guidance value (HBM-GV) determined for DON in the scope of HBM4EU (Total DON: 0.69 μg DON/kg bw/total 24 h ≈ 23 μg DON/L urine) 12.5% of the participants presented values above the HBM-GV. Overall, the results from this study showed that the Portuguese population is currently exposed to DON, with a significant proportion of individuals presenting exposures to values that warrant further assessment, including a close monitoring of exposure in the future and the development and implementation of policy measures aimed at minimizing exposure and improving the health of the population.