Chemical contaminants in food: the CASCADE Network of Excellence.

The article discusses the task of the CASCADE Network of Excellence, in support of the European Commission's proposed health hazard legislation called REACH, on providing information regarding the effects of foodborne environmental pollutants. The existence of chemical contaminants in food is a major concern in Europe. CASCADE focuses on understanding the mechanism of action of complex mixtures of chemical contaminants on hormonal systems and its impact on human health. Hormone-disrupting agents exist through hormone receptors, causing pathological processes. Experts from various fields worked on research activities such as developing novel test methods to assay the effect of foreign chemicals on nuclear receptor signaling. Risk assessment methods for consumers remains a priority.