Tissue engineered periosteum: Fabrication of a gelatin basedtrilayer composite scaffold with biomimetic properties for enhanced bone healing.

The periosteum, a vascularized tissue membrane, is essential in bone regeneration following fractures and bone loss due to some other reasons, yet there exist several research gaps concerning its regeneration. These gaps encompass reduced cellular proliferation and bioactivity, potential toxicity, heightened stiffness of scaffold materials, unfavorable porosity, expensive materials and procedures, and suboptimal survivability or inappropriate degradation rates of the implanted materials. This research used an interdisciplinary approach by forming a new material fabricated through electrospinning for the proposed application as a layer-by-layer tissue-engineered periosteum (TEP). TEP comprises poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), PCL/gelatin/magnesium-doped zinc oxide (vascular layer), and gelatin/bioactive glass/COD liver oil (osteoconductive layer). These materials were selected for their diverse properties, when integrated into the scaffold formation, successfully mimic the characteristics of native periosteum. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to confirm the trilayer structure of the scaffold and determine the average fiber diameter. In-vitro degradation and swelling studies demonstrated a uniform degradation rate that matches the typical recovery time of periosteum. The scaffold exhibited excellent mechanical properties comparable to natural periosteum. Furthermore, the sustained release kinetics of COD liver oil were observed in the trilayer scaffold. Cell culture results indicated that the three-dimensional topography of the scaffold promoted cell growth, proliferation, and attachment, confirming its non-toxicity, biocompatibility, and bioactivity. This study suggests that the fabricated scaffold holds promise as a potential artificial periosteum for treating periostitis and bone fractures.

Protective role of cod liver oil on hippocampal oxidative damage and neuronal count in Wistar rat model of comorbid depression.

Background: Proper nutrition and balanced diet have a profound influence on mental well-being. Nutritional psychiatry plays an important role in influencing a healthy mind and body. The animal model of chronic unpredictable stress has been considered the effective model to explore research on anxiety and depression. Aim: The present study aimed to explore the protective role of cod liver oil on various biochemical and neuronal analyses in the hippocampus tissue of the Wistar rat model of comorbid depression. Methods: Healthy adult albino rats of Wistar strain weighing (120-160 g) were divided into control groups and experimental groups. These groups were further categorized into various subgroups based on stress exposure, cod liver oil, and antidepressant treatment. Six animals were taken in each group. The duration of stress exposure was for 15 days. After the experimentation procedure, the animals were anesthetized and hippocampus was dissected for the estimations of various biochemical and neurological parameters. Results: The combination of cod liver oil with the antidepressant significantly (p < 0.001) decreased the lipid peroxidation level. Total antioxidant (TAO) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels significantly increased (p < 0.001) in the hippocampus. Treatment of cod liver oil during the stress exposure increased (p < 0.001) the neuronal count. Conclusion: Cod liver oil proved to be an effective antidepressant agent by increasing the antioxidants and promoting neurogenesis in the hippocampus.

POPs and PAHs in fish oil-based food supplements at the Czech market.

The objectives of this study were to assess concentrations of three groups of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in 44 fish oil-based food supplements, to estimate their daily intake by consumers and, to evaluate the compliance of the oil samples with the oil origin declarations (cod liver oil or fish oil). The concentrations of ∑PCBs (7 congeners), OCPs (19 compounds, represented mainly by ∑DDTs), ∑PBDEs (10 congeners), and ∑PAHs (16 compounds) found in samples ranged between 0.15-55.7 µg kg-1, 0.93-72.8 µg kg-1, 0.28-27.5 µg kg-1, and 0.32-51.9 µg kg-1, respectively. Besides, the authenticity of the oils was assessed based on the fingerprints obtained by DART-HRMS, an ambient mass spectrometry technique. Four samples declared as fish oil were probably prepared from cod liver oil, which is much cheaper. Furthermore, these samples contained elevated concentrations of halogenated POPs when compared to supplements produced from fish oil.

Mercury Exposure from the Consumption of Dietary Supplements Containing Vegetable, Cod Liver, and Shark Liver Oils.

Vegetable and fish oils constitute a significant part of all dietary supplements. Due to increasing environmental pollution, the raw materials used for their production may be contaminated with toxic substances, including metals. The aim of the present study was to determine the mercury (Hg) content in vegetable oils, shark liver oils, and cod liver oils. The tests conducted were to help determine the level of mercury contamination of the tested preparations and the related potential threat to human health. The amount of Hg in the tested dietary supplements was compared, and the amount of the metal consumed at various times of use was determined. A total of 36 preparations of dietary supplements available on the Polish market were used for the study. The method of atomic absorption spectrometry using the amalgamation technique was used for the determinations (AMA 254, Altec, Czech Republic). Among the sample of all of the tested preparations, the Hg concentration ranged from 0.023 to 0.427 µg/kg, with an average of 0.165 µg/kg. Differences in Hg content in the various tested preparations (shark liver oil, cod liver oil, and vegetable oils) were statistically significant. The average concentration of Hg in the vegetable oils (0.218 µg/kg) was more than twice that of the cod liver oils (0.106 µg/kg) and shark liver oils (0.065 µg/kg). In none of the tested preparations did the amount of Hg exceed the acceptable standard for dietary supplements (0.10 mg/kg). The analysis showed that the Hg content in vegetable oils, shark liver oils, and fish oils from the Polish market is at a low level, guaranteeing the safety of their use, and as such, they do not pose a threat to health.

Rickets, Vitamin D, and Ca/P Metabolism.

Rickets was a major public health problem dating from Roman times, and medical descriptions of rickets date from the 17th century. Sniadecki first advocated treatment by exposure to sunshine in 1822; contemporaneously, several British physicians advocated use of cod liver oil. Both approaches were successful. Work in 1924 showed that exposure to UV light endowed fats and other foods with antirachitic properties. Vitamins D2 and D3, the antirachitic agent in cod liver oil, were, respectively, produced by UV radiation of ergosterol and 7-dehydrocholesterol. Calcitriol (1,25[OH]2D3) was identified as the biologically active form of vitamin D in the early 1970s. The vitamin D 25-hydroxylase, 24-hydroxylase, and 1α-hydroxylase were cloned in the 1990s and their genetic defects were soon delineated. The vitamin D receptor was also cloned and its mutations identified in vitamin D-resistant rickets. Work with parathyroid hormone (PTH) began much later, as the parathyroids were not identified until the late 19th century. In 1925, James B. Collip (of insulin fame) identified PTH by its ability to correct tetany in parathyroidectomized dogs, but only in the 1970s was it clear that only a small fragment of PTH conveyed its activity. Congenital hypoparathyroidism with immune defects was described in 1968, eventually linked to microdeletions in chromosome 22q11.2. X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets was reported in 1957, and genetic linkage analysis identified the causative PHEX gene in 1997. Autosomal dominant hypophosphatemic rickets similarly led to the discovery of FGF23, a phosphate-wasting humoral factor made in bone, in 2000, revolutionizing our understanding of phosphorus metabolism.

Prevention of covid-19 and other acute respiratory infections with cod liver oil supplementation, a low dose vitamin D supplement: quadruple blinded, randomised placebo controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if daily supplementation with cod liver oil, a low dose vitamin D supplement, in winter, prevents SARS-CoV-2 infection, serious covid-19, or other acute respiratory infections in adults in Norway. DESIGN: Quadruple blinded, randomised placebo controlled trial. SETTING: Norway, 10 November 2020 to 2 June 2021. PARTICIPANTS: 34 601 adults (aged 18-75 years), not taking daily vitamin D supplements. INTERVENTION: 5 mL/day of cod liver oil (10 µg of vitamin D, n=17 278) or placebo (n=17 323) for up to six months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Four co-primary endpoints were predefined: the first was a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result determined by reverse transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and the second was serious covid-19, defined as self-reported dyspnoea, admission to hospital, or death. Other acute respiratory infections were indicated by the third and fourth co-primary endpoints: a negative SARS-CoV-2 test result and self-reported symptoms. Side effects related to the supplementation were self-reported. The fallback method was used to handle multiple comparisons. RESULTS: Supplementation with cod liver oil was not associated with a reduced risk of any of the co-primary endpoints. Participants took the supplement (cod liver oil or placebo) for a median of 164 days, and 227 (1.31%) participants in the cod liver oil group and 228 (1.32%) participants in the placebo group had a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result (relative risk 1.00, multiple comparison adjusted confidence interval 0.82 to 1.22). Serious covid-19 was identified in 121 (0.70%) participants in the cod liver oil group and in 101 (0.58%) participants in the placebo group (1.20, 0.87 to 1.65). 8546 (49.46%) and 8565 (49.44%) participants in the cod liver oil and placebo groups, respectively, had ≥1 negative SARS-CoV-2 test results (1.00, 0.97 to 1.04). 3964 (22.94%) and 3834 (22.13%) participants in the cod liver oil and placebo groups, respectively, reported ≥1 acute respiratory infections (1.04, 0.97 to 1.11). Only low grade side effects were reported in the cod liver oil and placebo groups. CONCLUSION: Supplementation with cod liver oil in the winter did not reduce the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, serious covid-19, or other acute respiratory infections compared with placebo. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04609423.

Predictors of Human Milk Fatty Acids and Associations with Infant Growth in a Norwegian Birth Cohort.

Triglyceride-bound fatty acids constitute the majority of lipids in human milk and may affect infant growth. We describe the composition of fatty acids in human milk, identify predictors, and investigate associations between fatty acids and infant growth using data from the Norwegian Human Milk Study birth cohort. In a subset of participants (n = 789, 30% of cohort), oversampled for overweight and obesity, we analyzed milk concentrations of detectable fatty acids. We modelled percent composition of fatty acids in relation to maternal body mass index, pregnancy weight gain, parity, smoking, delivery mode, gestational age, fish intake, and cod liver oil intake. We assessed the relation between fatty acids and infant growth from 0 to 6 months. Of the factors tested, excess pregnancy weight gain was positively associated with monounsaturated fatty acids and inversely associated with stearic acid. Multiparity was negatively associated with monounsaturated fatty acids and n-3 fatty acids while positively associated with stearic acid. Gestational age was inversely associated with myristic acid. Medium-chain saturated fatty acids were inversely associated with infant growth, and mono-unsaturated fatty acids, particularly oleic acid, were associated with an increased odds of rapid growth. Notably, excessive maternal weight gain was associated with cis-vaccenic acid, which was further associated with a threefold increased risk of rapid infant growth (OR = 2.9, 95% CI 1.2-6.6), suggesting that monounsaturated fatty acids in milk may play a role in the intergenerational transmission of obesity.

Cod Liver Oil, but Not Retinoic Acid, Treatment Restores Bone Thickness in a Vitamin A-Deficient Rat.

Vitamin A plays a prominent role for maintaining optimal bone status, but its impact upon the bone in response to vitamin A deficiency is not well defined. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how replenishing vitamin A by either whole food cod liver oil (COD) or the active metabolite of vitamin A, retinoic acid (RA), altered bone thickness of vitamin A-deficient (VAD) rats. Weanling rats were administered a control diet (CTRL) or VAD diet for 9 weeks. This was followed by four weeks of treatment in which the VAD group was divided into the following 4 subgroups: (1) VAD (9 weeks)-VAD (4 weeks); (2) VAD-CTRL; (3) VAD-COD; and (4) VAD-RA. Compared to controls, VAD rats had thicker bones which showed marked dysplasia. VAD-rats treated with COD produced a thinner bone that was not significantly different from that of untreated rats. In contrast, RA did not significantly change the thicker bone, and also had significantly greater periosteal and endosteal osteoblast numbers compared to VAD-COD. Active osteoclasts were not detected in VAD rats, nor during the treatment period. These findings suggest that the abnormal bone thickness in VAD rats appears to be more effectively restored to bone thickness of untreated control rats when treated with COD.

La accidentada historia del descubrimiento de la vitamina D, en su primer centenario / The checkered history of the discovery of vitamin D, in its first centenary

El año 2022 marca el primer centenario del descubrimiento de la vitamina D, hallazgo que recompensó la prolongada búsqueda de la causa del raquitismo, su prevención y tratamiento. Al mismo tiempo puso en marcha importantes investigaciones relaciona-das con su biotransformación y el mecanismo de su acción antirraquítica, además de estudios sobre diversos efectos biológicos sin relación directa con su papel en la salud ósea. Esta breve revisión se limitará a delinear la prehistoria de la vitamina D y los diversos estudios, básicos y clínicos, que condujeron a su descubrimiento y caracterización química. (AU)

The year 2022 marks the centenary of the discovery of vitamin D, a breakthrough that rewarded the long search for the cause of rickets, its prevention and treatment. At the same time, it launched important investigations related to its biotransformation and the mechanism of its antirachitic action, as well as studies on various biological effects without direct relation to its role in bone health. This brief review will be limited to an outline of the prehistory of vitamin D and the various basic and clinical studies that led to its discovery and chemical characterization. (AU)

Regular consumption of cod liver oil is associated with reduced basal and exercise-induced C-reactive protein levels; a prospective observational trial : A NEEDED (The North Sea Race Endurance Exercise Study) 2014 sub-study.

BACKGROUND: Dietary supplement use among recreational athletes is common, with the intention of reducing inflammation and improving recovery. We aimed to describe the relationship between omega-3 fatty acid supplement use and inflammation induced by strenuous exercise. METHODS: C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations were measured in 1002 healthy recreational athletes before and 24 h after a 91-km bicycle race. The use of omega-3 fatty acid supplements was reported in 856 out of 1002 recreational athletes, and the association between supplement use and the exercise-induced CRP response was assessed. RESULTS: Two hundred seventy-four subjects reported regular use of omega-3 fatty acid supplements. One hundred seventy-three of these used cod liver oil (CLO). Regular users of omega-3 fatty acid supplements had significantly lower basal and exercise-induced CRP levels as compared to non-users (n = 348, p < 0.001). Compared to non-users, regular users had a 27% (95% confidence interval (CI): 14-40) reduction in Ln CRP response (unadjusted model, p < 0.001) and 16% (95% CI: 5-28, p = 0.006) reduction after adjusting for age, sex, race duration, body mass index, delta creatine kinase, MET hours per week, resting heart rate and higher education. CLO was the primary driver of this response with a 34% (95% CI: 19-49) reduction (unadjusted model, p < 0.001) compared to non-users. Corresponding numbers in the adjusted model were 24% (95% CI: 11-38, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Basal CRP levels were reduced, and the exercise-induced CRP response was attenuated in healthy recreational cyclists who used omega-3 fatty acid supplements regularly. This effect was only present in regular users of CLO. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02166216 , registered June 18, 2014 - Retrospectively registered.

In vitro intestinal digestion of lipids from the marine diatom Porosira glacialis compared to commercial LC n-3 PUFA products.

Marine sources of long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n-3 PUFA) are in high demand for use in health supplements. Mass cultivated marine microalgae is a promising and sustainable source of LC n-3 PUFA, which relieves pressure on natural fish stocks. The lipid class profile from cultivated photosynthetic algae differ from the marine organisms currently used for the production of LC n-3 PUFA. The objective of this study was to compare in vitro intestinal digestion of oil extracted from the cold-adapted marine diatom Porosira glacialis with commercially available LC n-3 PUFA supplements; cod liver oil, krill oil, ethyl ester concentrate, and oil from the copepod Calanus finmarchicus (Calanus® oil). The changes in the free fatty acids and neutral and polar lipids during the enzymatic hydrolysis were characterized by liquid and gas chromatography. In Calanus® oil and the Ethyl ester concentrate, the free fatty acids increased very little (4.0 and 4.6%, respectively) during digestion. In comparison, free fatty acids in Krill oil and P. glacialis oil increased by 14.7 and 17.0%, respectively. Cod liver oil had the highest increase (28.2%) in free fatty acids during the digestion. Monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids were more easily released than polyunsaturated fatty acids in all five oils.

Direct immersion thin film solid phase microextraction of polychlorinated n-alkanes in cod liver oil.

A thin film-solid phase microextraction (TF-SPME) method was developed to test for 5 individual polychlorinated n-alkanes (PCAs) from commercial cod liver oil samples. This was accomplished by preparing a novel aluminum supported, hydrophilic-lipophilic balance/polydimethylsiloxane (HLB/PDMS) TF-SPME device that enabled direct immersion extraction from fish oil. Matrix-matched calibration gave a linear range from 0.075 µg/g to 0.75 µg/g with method limits of quantitation (MLOQ) ranging from 0.07 µg/g to 0.217 µg/g in oil. Standard addition calibration was performed using other fish oils demonstrating comparable slope to the external calibration. As a proof of concept, four fish oil brands were tested for contaminants; 1,1,1,3-tetrachlorodecane, 1,2,9,10-tetrachlorodecane, 1,2,13,14-tetrachlorotetradecane, and 1,1,1,3,14,15-hexachloropentadecane were detected above the MLOQ but below the range provided by the Stockholm Convention. This method provides an effective approach for cleanup and preconcentration of PCAs from oily matrices using inexpensive, and reusable microextraction devices that limit environmental impact of the sample preparation protocol.

Preparation of PLA/chitosan nanoscaffolds containing cod liver oil and experimental diabetic wound healing in male rats study.

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common metabolic disorders. One of the important metabolic complications in diabetes is diabetic foot ulcer syndrome, which causes delayed and abnormal healing of the wound. The formulation of nanoscaffolds containing cod liver oil by altering the hemodynamic balance toward the vasodilators state, increasing wound blood supply, and altering plasma membrane properties, namely altering the membrane phospholipids composition, can be effective in wound healing. In this study, electrospinning method was used to produce poly lactic acid/chitosan nanoscaffolds as a suitable bio-substitute. After preparing the nanoscaffolds, the products were characterized with dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Also optical properties of polymer and comparison between adsorption between single polymer and polymer-drug calculated with UV-Vis spectra. The structure and functional groups of the final products were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDAX) as elemental analysis. The results showed that the optimum formulation of cod liver oil was 30%, which formed a very thin fiber that rapidly absorbed to the wound and produced significant healing effects. According to the results, poly lactic acid/chitosan nanoscaffolds containing cod liver oil can be a suitable bio-product to be used in treating the diabetic foot ulcer syndrome.

New advice on vitamin D supplements and cod liver oil for infants. / Nye råd om D-vitamintilskudd og tran til spedbarn.

Until recently, all parents have been advised to give cod liver oil to their infants. Now, cod liver oil is no longer recommended during the first year of life, but breastfed infants still need vitamin D supplements.

The protective efficacy of vitamin E and cod liver oil against cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury in rats.

Cisplatin (CP) is a highly effective chemotherapeutic agent against neoplasms, but its clinical utility is limited due to the side effects of its dose-dependent nephrotoxicity. Vitamin E (Vit E) and cod liver oil (CLO) are natural substances with chemoprotective effects. The present study was conducted to evaluate the protective effects of Vit E and/or CLO for CP-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) in rats. This study involved 40 mature male Wistar albino rats that were equally allocated into eight groups: Veh, Vit E, CLO, Vit E + CLO, CP, Vit E + CP, CLO + CP, and Vit E + CLO + CP. The co-administration of Vit E and CLO significantly ameliorated CP-induced elevations in serum creatinine (Cr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1ß), and interleukin- 6 (IL-6). Further, rats that received Vit E and/or CLO showed significant decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) and increases in superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH) levels in renal tissues, compared to CP-intoxicated rats. Additionally, the treatment restored the normal histological architecture (except for few cast formations) and upregulated the immunostaining area% of aquaporin 3 (AQP3) and downregulated the immunostaining area% of Bcl2 associated X protein (BAX) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). The observed effects were stronger in the combination treatment group. The obtained data revealed that Vit E and CLO co-administration protects against the CP-induced AKI more than monotherapy with Vit E or CLO.

Periconceptional use of cod liver oil, a vitamin D source, could decrease the risk of CHD in offspring.

OBJECTIVE: To explore if there is association between vitamin D supplementation through cod liver oil ingestion around the periconceptional period and the risk of developing severe CHD in offspring. Furthermore, we would examine the interaction between vitamin D and folic acid supplementation in the association. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted in Shanghai Children's Medical Center, in which, a total of 262 severe CHD cases versus 262 controls were recruited through June 2016 to December 2017. All children were younger than 2 years. To reduce potential selection bias and to minimise confounding effects, propensity score matching was applied. RESULTS: After propensity score matching, vitamin D supplementation seemed to be associated with decreased odds ratio of severe CHD (odds ratio = 0.666; 95% confidence intervals: 0.449-0.990) in the multivariable conditional logistic analysis. Furthermore, we found an additive interaction between vitamin D and folic acid supplementation (relative excess risk due to interaction = 0.810, 95% confidence intervals: 0.386-1.235) in the association. CONCLUSION: The results suggested that maternal vitamin D supplementation could decrease the risk of offspring severe CHD; moreover, it could strengthen the protective effect of folic acid. The significance of this study lies in providing epidemiological evidence that vitamin D supplementation around the periconceptional period could be a potential nutritional intervention strategy to meet the challenge of increasing CHD.

Monochloropropanediol esters and glycidyl esters in dietary supplements based on fish oils.

Dietary supplements based on fish oils might be contaminated with thermal processing contaminants, which are generated during the fish oil deodorisation. In the study, 30 samples of dietary supplements were analysed in terms of the occurrence of 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol esters (3-MCPDE), 2-monochloropropane-1,3-diol esters (2-MCPDE) and glycidyl esters (GE). The results showed that the highest levels of 3-MCPDE (mean: 1461 µg kg-1) as well as 2-MCPDE (mean: 357 µg kg-1) were observed in the products containing shark liver oil. In the case of GE, they were mainly detected in the supplements including shark liver and cod liver oils. Although the results indicated that the consumption of the investigated supplements constituted no more than 1% of tolerable daily intake (TDI), the occurrence of MCPDE and GE in fish oil dietary supplements with a special attention to the origin of ester precursors should be thoroughly investigated in further studies.

Evaluations of the Peroxidative Susceptibilities of Cod Liver Oils by a 1H NMR Analysis Strategy: Peroxidative Resistivity of a Natural Collagenous and Biogenic Amine-Rich Fermented Product.

High-resolution 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis was employed to molecularly screen the lipid, lipid oxidation product (LOP), and antioxidant compositions of four natural (unrefined) cod liver oil (CLO) products. Products 1-3 were non-fermented CLOs, whilst Product 4 was isolated from pre-fermented cod livers. Supporting analytical data that were acquired included biogenic amine, flavanone, tannin, phenolic antioxidant, α-tocopherol, and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) determinations by recommended HPLC, LC/MS/MS, or spectrophotometric methods. SDS-PAGE, HPLC, and 1H NMR analyses investigated and determined collagenous antioxidants and their molecular mass ranges. 1H NMR analysis of aldehydic LOPs was employed to explore the susceptibilities/resistivities of each CLO product to peroxidation that is induced by thermal stressing episodes (TSEs) at 180°C, or following prolonged (42 day) storage episodes at 4 and 23 °C. Product 4 displayed extremely high ORAC values, which were much greater than those of Products 1-3, and that were predominantly ascribable to significant levels of peroxidation-blocking and/or aldehyde-consuming collagenous polypeptides/peptides and ammoniacal agents therein. Significantly lower levels of toxic aldehydes were generated in the pre-fermented Product 4 during exposure to TSEs, or the above long-term storage episodes. These results confirmed the enhanced peroxidative resistivity of a fermented, antioxidant-fortified natural CLO product over those of non-fermented unrefined products. Product 4: Green Pasture Blue Ice™ Fermented Cod Liver Oil.

Dioxin-like polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and ortho-substituted PBBs in edible cod (Gadus morhua) liver oils and canned cod livers.

This study investigates the occurrence of polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), a legacy flame retardant, in fishery products such as medicinal grade cod liver oils and canned liver products, sourced from the North Atlantic during 1972-2017. It also assesses the dietary and supplementary (the oils were commonly administered as dietary supplements to children and youth) intake of PBBs from these products. Summed ortho-PBB concentrations ranged from 770 to 1400 pg g-1 fat in the oils and from 99 to 240 pg g-1 whole weight in canned livers, with PBB-49, 52, 101 and 153 accounting for most of these levels. Among the more toxic non-ortho-PBBs, PBB-126 and PBB-169 were not detected, but PBB-77 concentrations ranged from 0.6 to 5.78 pg g-1 fat in the oils and 0.06-0.126 pg g-1 whole weight in canned livers. During 1972-1993, PBB contamination levels were similar for cod liver oils from the Baltic Sea and other North Atlantic regions, but over the timescale of the study, Baltic Sea products appear to show a decline in PBB concentrations. As PBB-77 was the only dioxin-like PBB detected in the samples, the corresponding supplementary (oils, 1972-2001) and dietary (cod liver from 2017) intakes were very low, at < 0.001 pg TEQ kg-1 bm d-1 (or < 0.01 pg TEQ kg-1 bm d-1 upper bound) for the sum of all the measured dioxin-like PBBs -four to six orders of magnitude lower than that arising from other dioxin-like contaminants that were shown to occur in these products, from earlier studies.