Loads in animal foodstuff - assessment of Maximum Intake Doses (MID)

Air pollutants may have adverse effects on human beings in different ways. Contamination of the food chain by potentially harmful substances is one im portant load and leads to contamination of human foodstuff itself. For the avoidance of this problem, VDI-guidelines are prepared by a working group o f the Commission on Air Pollution Prevention of VDI and DIN (KRdL). One imp ortant task of these guidelines is the limitation of impacts by air polluta nts, which contaminate vegetation as well as animal foodstuff. These kinds of loads may accumulate in animal tissues and also cause a risk for human h ealth. Today, there is a series of guidelines, each specific for single con taminants. Maximum Intake Doses (MID), which are maximum allowances for cri tical substances in animal foodstuff are propos ed by these guidelines. The se limits are set without considering technical, economical or political as pects of realisation. Beside the evaluation of risks for human health, crit eria as well as health and productivity of the farm animal itself and ecoto xicological risks are also taken into account.