Author
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Huwe, Janice |
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Submitted to: Feed Information for News on the Web
Publication Type: Other Publication Acceptance Date: 5/29/2003 Publication Date: 6/4/2003 Citation: Huwe, Janice K. Transfer and Bioconcentration of Dioxins from Feeds into Beef Cattle and Dairy Cows. www.feedinfo.com Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a class of ubiquitous toxic environmental contaminants that persist and bioaccumulate through the food chain. Humans are exposed to dioxins mainly through their diet with animal and fish products providing the majority of that intake. In order to investigate the accumulation of dioxins in food producing animals, we studied the transfer of dioxins from feed sources into beef cattle and dairy cows. Both studies showed that the most toxic dioxins in contaminated feeds were readily available to cattle, were retained by the animals or transferred into the milk to a high degree (30-50% of the dose), and were bioconcentrated 10-20 fold into lipids. During the course of the beef cattle study an unexpected source of dioxins was also discovered i.e. penta-treated wood. The extent of treated wood as a source to the US beef supply is an on-going investigation. |
