The National Food Safety Commission, which is conducting an assessment of the health effects of PFAS, an organic fluorine compound that has been detected one after another in rivers across the country and has been pointed out to be harmful, held an online seminar to discuss the current situation. We explained the content of the evaluation.
This seminar was held online by the Food Safety Commission on the 22nd and was attended by approximately 500 people.
In January, a working group of the Food Safety Commission announced that
``PFOS'' and `
`PFOA,'' two of the potentially harmful PFAS,
should be consumed in daily amounts per kilogram of body weight. We are compiling a draft health impact assessment document that includes an indicator of 20 nanograms.
At the seminar, Seiichiro Himeno, chairman of the working group, explained the contents of the evaluation document, stating that the amount to be used as an indicator was determined based on domestic and international research, and that the intake amount from common foods is thought to be below the indicator. I explained things like that.
Participants expressed opinions such as ``I would like to see a more detailed evaluation of the effects on fetuses and children'' and ``I think carcinogenicity should be evaluated more rigorously.'' We made the evaluation based on our own knowledge, so if new knowledge comes out in the future, we would like to re-evaluate it.''
The Food Safety Commission will compile a formal report after conducting a public comment period until March 7th.