The EFSA has updated its risk assessment on dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs) and lowered the tolerable weekly intake (TWI) from the previous level of 2 pg/kg body weight to 0.6 pg/kg body weight. The adjustment is primarily based on methodological changes in the derivation of the TWI. No new toxicological findings are available.
At the same time, the EFSA emphasises the considerable uncertainties involved in deriving the TWI and estimating exposure. To improve the data available, it recommends further studies, particularly on dioxin levels in plant-based foods, as well as in breast milk and blood samples.
Gleichzeitig betont die EFSA die erheblichen Unsicherheiten bei der Ableitung des TWI und der Expositionsabschätzung. Zur Verbesserung der Datenlage empfiehlt sie weitere Untersuchungen, insbesondere zu Dioxingehalten in pflanzlichen Lebensmitteln sowie in Muttermilch und Blutproben.
Regardless of this, the population’s exposure to dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs has fallen significantly in recent decades.
Updated opinion from the EFSA:
https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.2903/j.efsa.2026.10103
