Microplastics and Antimicrobial Resistance Genes in Surface Waters Under European Union Regulatory Progress

Microplastics (MPs) and antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), emerging pollutants in surface waters, are viewed as a serious risk to freshwater ecosystems and public health. This review synthesizes current scientific knowledge, regulatory approaches, and monitoring methodologies on the presence and impact of these contaminants following a drivers-pressures-state-impact-response (DPSIR) framework. Major anthropogenic factors, such as pharmaceutical consumption and agricultural intensification...

Influence of apple pomace and asparaginase on acrylamide levels in cookies and behavior during simulated gastric digestion: risk assessment perspectives

Cookies are widely consumed baked products; however, their contribution to dietary acrylamide (ACR) intake raises increasing health concerns. This study investigated the effects of apple pomace addition and asparaginase treatment on ACR levels in cookies, the fate of ACR during simulated gastric digestion using the INFOGEST semi-dynamic model, and the associated health risks of ACR exposure from cookie consumption. Risk assessment was conducted for adults (18-65 years) and children (3-10 year...

Investigation of EU-priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in wheat flour and baked products: Implications for food safety

Wheat flour and baked products are widely consumed foods that may contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which can promote carcinogenic effects. This study analyzed four priority PAHs (benzo[a]pyrene, benz [a]anthracene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, and chrysene) in 74 wheat flour, bread, and biscuit samples using highperformance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Benz[a]anthracene and chrysene were the most frequently identified contaminants in all the samples. Whole-wheat flour samples showed...

Early childhood asthma and adiposity until adolescence: A prospective birth cohort study using body fat percentage

Background Asthma and obesity frequently coexist in childhood, yet whether asthma predisposes to later adiposity remains underexplored, particularly using measures beyond body mass index (BMI). Considering this, we aimed to examine the association between asthma in early childhood and subsequent adiposity through adolescence, assessed using BMI and body fat percentage, and to evaluate sex-specific effects.Methods This prospective study included 4717 participants from the Portuguese population...