Background:

Human and animal health are closely related. A lot of foods and feeds may contain toxic substances, and though most chemicals have a safe use range, they can be harmful when consumed in high doses.

Aim.

To remark the importance of environmental control to minimize the risk of poisoning by dioxin and dioxin-like substances in the production of feeds for farm animals, and foods for humans.

Development:

Dioxins and PCB dioxins (polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins or PCDD comprise 75 dioxin-like substances), furans (polychlorinated dibenzo-furans comprising 135 furan-like compounds). Only a few substances from each group are toxic. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), also known as dioxin receptor, is present in numerous animal species, activating gene expression in a ligand-dependent manner. The ligand prototype 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), is an archetype dioxin known to be one of the most powerful dioxin-like substances. The presence of dioxins in animal tissue depends on feeding, at certain levels it may cause cancer, disorders of the immune and the nervous systems, liver lesions, and sterility.

Conclusions:

This study demonstrates the importance of environmental control to minimize the risk of poisoning by dioxins and dioxin-like substances in the production of feeds. The personnel in charge of animal production should know more about these compounds and collaborate in identifying the possible dangers and risk levels.