57 ANN IST SUPER SANITà 2008 | V OL. 44, NO. 1: 57-63 RESEARCH FROM ANIMAL TESTING TO CLINICAL EXPERIENCE Summary. Diet is a signifcant source of exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC); health risks cannot be excluded, in particular long-term effects in vulnerable groups such as children. However, food safety assessment must also consider the effects of natural food components modu- lating the endocrine system. The scientifc evidence on the complex interactions between EDC and food components is still limited. The new EDC-Diet Interactions Database (EDID) within the ISS EDC area (www.iss.it/inte/) aims to stimulate further research in the feld of food toxicology: a data- base on international literature’s studies, either on experimental systems and on animal population and humans, easy to consult and periodically updated. Examples of studies contained in EDID are provided concerning EDC with iodine, vitamins and phytoestrogens. Key words: risk assessment, risk-to-beneft-analysis, toxicology, nutrition, endocrine disrupters, contaminants, phytoestrogens. Riassunto (Una nuova base di dati sulla sicurezza alimentare: EDID (Endocrine disrupting chemicals - Diet Interaction Database). L’alimentazione è un’importante via di esposizione ad interferenti endocrini (endocrine disrupting chemicals, EDC), con possibili effetti a lungo termine su gruppi vulnerabili come l’infanzia. Tuttavia la valutazione del rischio in sicurezza alimentare deve anche considerare gli effetti di componenti naturali degli alimenti con potenziali effetti endocrini. Le evi- denze scientifche per caratterizzare le complesse interazioni fra EDC e componenti alimentari sono ancora limitate. Il nuovo database EDC-Diet Interactions Database (EDID) all’interno dell’area tematica “interferenti endocrini” (www.iss.it/inte/) intende contribuire a sviluppare la ricerca nel- la tossicologia alimentare. EDID comprende articoli internazionali, riguardanti sistemi sperimen- tali, popolazioni animali e l’essere umano, di facile consultazione ed aggiornata periodicamente. Vengono illustrati esempi di studi presenti in EDID riguardanti le interazioni di EDC con iodio, vitamine e ftoestrogeni. Parole chiave: valutazione del rischio, analisi rischio-benefcio, tossicologia, alimentazione, interferenti endo- crini, contaminanti, ftoestrogeni. A new database for food safety: EDID (Endocrine disrupting chemicals - Diet Interaction Database) Francesca Baldi and Alberto Mantovani Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica Veterinaria e Sicurezza Alimentare, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy INTRODUCTION Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) are an het- erogeneous group of substances present in the diet and environment able to modify endocrine home- ostasis, in particular steroid and thyroid hormones; therefore reproductive health and developing life stages are the most susceptible targets [1]. EDC interact with nuclear receptors or with enzymes responsible of synthesis or transportation of hor- mones; they include persistent contaminants (e.g., dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls), compounds used in plant and/or animal production (e.g., dicar- boxmides, triazoles) and compounds found in indus- trial as well as consumer products (e.g., bisphenol A, several phthalates, polybrominated fame retard- ants) [2]. Endocrine-active chemicals are not con- fned to xenobiotics. Indeed, many natural bioac- tive substances may modulate the endocrine system function, from trace elements such as iodine, which are also essential micronutrients [3] to the numerous group of “phytoestrogens”. Phytoestrogens are sub- stances present in plants that may interact with es- trogen receptors; examples include genistein, an iso- favone found in soy, as well as less well-known com- pounds present in different grains and fruits, such as daidzein, quercetin, resveratrol, lignans, etc. [4]. EDC arouse concern because of their potential for both long-term, multiple-target effects on vulnerable lifestages as well as for general population exposure associated with the bioaccumulation capability, and/ or to widespread diffusion of different compounds [1, 2]. Indeed, EDC exposure in the early lifestages is strongly suspected for the reproductive health dete- rioration observed in many industrialized Countries Address for correspondence: Alberto Mantovani, Dipartimento di Sanità PubblicaVeterinaria e Sicurezza Alimentare, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy. E-mail: alberto.mantovani@iss.it.