Ybañez N, Montoro R
Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos, Valencia, Spain.
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 1996 Apr;36(4):299-320. doi: 10.1080/10408399609527727.
Food toxicology (FT) is an old science whose origins may go back to primitive humans. However, due to major environmental damage, daily market launches of new food products, and the analytical ability to detect ever small quantities of toxicants in foods, FT is also an ever-growing science with an enormous task ahead. With respect to trace elements, current research trends can be encompassed under the headings of detection, control, and toxicological evaluation. Under the heading detection, quality, sensitivity, speed, automation, and specificity for each food type are the characteristics currently sought when developing new methodologies. Under control, there is a great need for constant monitoring, on an international level, of the levels of trace elements present in foods; and for development and application of new methodologies to guarantee product and process safety. Under toxicological evaluation, information about the bioavailability of trace elements and consequently studies of the chemical species present in foods have top priority. The work still outstanding in the study of trace element FT is immense, because it is necessary to achieve a profound understanding of the toxicological characteristics of food products in relation to trace elements; to give information to food manufacturers that they can use to adapt their production so that it meets the requirements of international legislation and demands for quality and innocuousness on the part of the market and consumers; and to develop standards regulating the maximum content of trace elements, according to the content of the various species.
食品毒理学（FT）是一门古老的科学，其起源可以追溯到原始人类。然而，由于重大的环境破坏、新食品产品每日投放市场，以及检测食品中微量毒物的分析能力，食品毒理学也是一门不断发展的科学，面临着艰巨的任务。关于微量元素，当前的研究趋势可以归纳为检测、控制和毒理学评估几个方面。在检测方面，开发新方法时目前所追求的特性包括针对每种食品类型的质量、灵敏度、速度、自动化和特异性。在控制方面，迫切需要在国际层面持续监测食品中微量元素的含量；开发和应用新方法以确保产品和过程安全。在毒理学评估方面，关于微量元素生物有效性的信息以及因此对食品中存在的化学形态的研究最为重要。微量元素食品毒理学研究中仍有待完成的工作数量巨大，因为有必要深入了解食品产品与微量元素相关的毒理学特性；向食品制造商提供信息，使其能够调整生产以符合国际法规以及市场和消费者对质量和无害性的要求；并根据各种形态的含量制定规范微量元素最大含量的标准。
