The Investigation And Risk Assessment Of Boron In Bean Products

Bean products are known as a kind of healthy food which is rich in amino acids and minerals that are of great necessity to human body, but they also contain certain amount of boron. The research data shows that excessive boron can damage human organs such as heart, liver, stomach, skin and brain, as well as human nerve and genetic system. To grasp the content and sources of boron in soybean products, and evaluate its health risks, this research using beancurd sticks as an example. The boron content was monitored in the raw soybean growing environment, the use of boron fertilizer and the productive process. Furthermore, the exposure assessment and risk analysis of boron in beancurd stick were conducted. The main research contents and results are as follows:1. We have investigated the boron content in the soybean growing soil, analyzed the effect of boron fertilizer on boron content in soybean, monitored the boron enrichment condition in beancurd stick productive process. The results showed that:the content of boron in soybean samples distributed between154-453mg/kg, with average of302±75mg/kg (dry weight); in water was13±1mg/kg; in deforming agent was19±5mg/kg; in soda was24±1mg/kg; in soymilk was36±7mg/kg. The boron content in wet Yuba was95±8mg/kg; while in the end product of beancurd stick was95±2mg/kg. The study showed that boron content had been reduced significantly by the productive process. In present investigation, illegal boron adding was not found in the productive process. The growing environment of soybean (soil and fertilizer) is the main source of boron in Yuba products. And the high density of boron in the growing environment might be the main reason leading to the high content of boron in soybean.2. using the risk assessment software@RISK4.5to analyze the survey data of beancurd stick dietary intake, we established the exposure assessment model and assessed the risk of boron in bean products. The results showed that Bean products caused by boron exposure quantity was0.015mg/(kgBw·d), far less than ADI=0.3mg/(kgBw·d) given by ECETOC-European chemical ecological toxicity and Toxicology Center. Yuba products caused by boron exposure over0.3mg/(kgBw·d) the probability of zero. Therefore, without considering artificial addition, common amount of Yuba consumption is safe.Based on the results of above research, the following comments are suggested:(1) To have good knowledge of soy boron background levels, a thorough investigation about the boron content in soybean throughout the country should be conducted;(2) Countries should mainly consider the factors that raw material background brings into boron while making the limit value of boron in bean products;(3) According to results of the risk assessment, it can easily see that at present the content of boron in the bean curd stick products is not so serious. However, the variation trend of content of boron in soil suggests that we should strengthen the monitoring of boron, doing a good duty in the related early warning work of boron controlling in raw material soybean and bean products;(4) Importance should be attached to exposure monitoring, risk assessment and early warning in the diets of boron. And information should be published promptly so that the public can know something about the relevant risk status.