Impact of FEBRA (fermented brown rice with Aspergillus oryzae) intake and concentrations of PCDDs, PCDFs and PCBs in blood of humans from Japan

Impact of FEBRA (fermented brown rice with Aspergillus oryzae, a rich dietary fiber) intake on the concentrations of polychlorinated-biphenyls (PCBs), -dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DLPCBs), -dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), and -dibenzofurans (PCDFs) in blood of nine married Japanese were studied for 2 years. Concentrations of total PCBs (average standard deviation) were greater 326000 +/- 263000 and 207000 +/- 89000 in FEBRA-intake and nonFEBRA-intake groups, respectively, on pg/g lipid (from now onwards data expressed on pg/g lipid). DLPCBs were second major contaminants 94000 +/- 77000 and 60000 +/- 28000, orderly in FEBRA-intake and non-FEBRA-intake groups. The concentrations of PCDD/DFs were several orders of magnitude lower than those of PCBs, whereas PCDDs were greater (433 +/- 233 and 512 +/- 511, in FEBRA-intake and non-FEBRA-in take groups, respectively) than PCDFs (56 +/- 50 and 43 +/- 35). Calculated toxic equivalency (TEQ) concentrations were 34 +/- 24 and 23 +/- 10 in FEBRA-intake and non-FEBRA-intake groups, respectively. In order to corroborate the impact of FEBRA, the changes of PCDD/DFs and PCB concentrations for 0.5-year, 1-year, 1.5-year, and 2-year samples were estimated from average concentration of 1-day before study commences and 1-week study samples. The results explicit FEBRA-intake group eliminated 7%, 33%, 45%, 36%, and 26% and non-FEBRA-intake group eliminated 8%, 28%, 36%, 31%, and 20% of DLPCBs, PCDDs, PCDFs, PCDD/DF TEQ and total TEQ respectively. This study is the first of its kind showing the possible elimination of PCDDs, PCDFs and their TEQ in humans from Japan after the consumption of FEBRA. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.