DOI - Mendel University Press

DOI identifiers

DOI: 10.11118/978-80-7701-048-1-0134

DIOXINS IN MEAT: FROM ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANTS TO HUMAN EXPOSURE

Ivica Kos1, Miroslav Jùzl2, Ivan Vnuèec1, Jelka Pleadin3, Darija Bendelja Ljoljiæ1, Pawe³ Konieczka4, Tamara Stameniæ5, Viktorija Pralas1
1 Division of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Sveto¹imunska 25, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia
2 Department of Food Technology, Faculty of Agrisciences, Mendel University in Brno, Zemìdìlská 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic
3 Croatian Veterinary Institute, Savska cesta 143, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia
4 Faculty of Bioengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Micha³a Oczapowskiego 2, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
5 Institute for Animal Husbandry, Autoput Beograd - Zagreb 16, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia


Dioxins are highly toxic, persistent pollutants that mainly originate from industrial processes. As they are lipophilic (fat-soluble), these compounds accumulate in the fatty tissue of both animals and humans. Meat, especially if it has a high fat content, serves as a primary channel for the transfer of dioxins in the food chain. Livestock ingest dioxins via contaminated feed, soil and water, and grazing animals are particularly susceptible. Exposure level can vary depending on the composition of the feed, the contamination of the feed and the duration of exposure, all of which influence dioxin levels in muscle tissue, fat and organs. After consumption, dioxins concentrate in fatty tissue and the liver. When people consume meat from contaminated animals, they are exposed to potential health risks, including carcinogenic, reproductive and developmental problems. Food processing, such as cooking at high temperatures and trimming visible fat, can reduce dioxin levels in meat products to some extent. However, some dioxin congeners remain relatively stable under typical cooking conditions. This resilience underscores the importance of tackling dioxins at their source, including the implementation of appropriate feed safety measures and regulation of industrial emissions. Despite regulatory efforts to limit dioxin contamination in animal feed and food, bioaccumulation remains a challenge due to the environmental persistence of these compounds.

Keywords: dioxins, bioaccumulation, health impact, meat safety, animal fat

pages: 134-140, online: 2025



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