Overview
The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, at its 61st meeting in June 2003 (report published 2004 as WHO Technical Report Series 922), established the provisional tolerable weekly intake for methylmercury at 1.6 µg methylmercury (MeHg)/kg body weight per week, replacing the prior PTWI of 3.3 (JECFA 61st). The PTWI is anchored on developmental neurotoxicity observed in cohort studies of children exposed in utero through maternal seafood consumption (Faroe Islands and Seychelles cohorts), translated from a maternal hair NOAEL of 6.4 µg MeHg/L through standard pharmacokinetic conversion (JECFA 61st).
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| PTWI | 1.6 µg MeHg/kg b.w./week |
| Prior PTWI (replaced) | 3.3 µg MeHg/kg b.w./week |
| Critical endpoint | Developmental neurotoxicity (in utero through maternal seafood) |
| Cohort basis | Faroe Islands and Seychelles |
| Maternal hair NOAEL | 6.4 µg MeHg/L |
| Establishing meeting | JECFA 61st (June 2003) |
| Report publication | WHO Technical Report Series 922, 2004 |
The EFSA 2012 re-evaluation lowered the EU TWI to 1.3 µg/kg b.w./week with adjustment for n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid coefficients in fish (EFSA 2012 mercury opinion); the JECFA 1.6 PTWI remains the international Codex-aligned value (JECFA 61st).
Sources
- JECFA 61st — JECFA 61st meeting, 2003 (WHO TRS 922, 2004). Evaluation of Certain Food Additives and Contaminants.
References
Works cited in this page’s text, in first-appearance order. See Sources for this page’s source inventory. Each title links to a source record with bibliographic details, reported findings, and document provenance.
- Evaluation of Certain Food Additives and Contaminants (Methylmercury), 61st Meeting of JECFAGovernment
- Scientific Opinion on the Risk for Public Health Related to the Presence of Mercury and Methylmercury in FoodGovernment
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