Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins

One member of the polychlorinated dibenzodioxin family, a group of highly toxic chlorinated chemicals that may contaminate foods, particularly foods of animal origin where they accumulate in fats. Formed during waste incineration and certain industrial processes, the most notorious member is an extremely potent carcinogen assessed through toxicity equivalence factors. Because they concentrate up the food chain, human exposure comes mainly through meat, dairy, fish, and eggs. Regulators set strict maximum levels in animal foods and run surveillance programs to keep dietary intake within tolerable limits, while emission controls aim to cut their formation at the source.