Overall exposure

50.          Mean and 97.5^th percentile estimated exposure to EAs from the individual food groups for women of child-bearing age (16- 49 years) can be found in Table 1 (acute) and Table 2 (chronic).

Table 1: Estimates acute exposure to ergot alkaloids in women of childbearing age; food groups not containing EAs have been excluded.

LB= lower bound; UB= upper bound.

Misc = miscellaneous.

Where rounding produced the same value for the upper and lower bound, single figures have been used within the table.

Estimates of total exposure (mean, P97.5) were determined from an overall distribution of the consumption of any combination of the food categories included in the assessment, rather than by summation of the individual mean or 97.5^th percentile consumption values for each of the food categories.

Table 2: Estimated chronic exposure to ergot alkaloids in women of childbearing age; food groups not containing EAs have been excluded.

LB= lower bound; UB= upper bound.

Misc = miscellaneous.

Where rounding produced the same value for the upper and lower bound, single figures have been used within the table.

Estimates of total exposure (mean, P97.5) were determined from an overall distribution of the consumption of any combination of the food categories included in the assessment, rather than by summation of the individual mean or 97.5^th percentile consumption values for each of the food categories.

51.          The mean and 97.5^th percentile total estimated acute exposure (exposure from all products) ranges from 52 - 57 ng/kg bw and 120 - 130 ng/kg bw respectively. The mean and 97.5^th percentile total estimated chronic exposure ranges from 31 - 35 ng/kg bw and 72 - 80 ng/kg bw, respectively.

52.          The food groups contributing most to EAs exposure were a) wholemeal and granary bread (acute exposure 24 - 91 ng/kg bw, chronic exposure 0.011 - 52 ng/kg bw), b) white sliced bread (acute exposure 9.2 - 41 ng/kg bw, chronic exposure 4 - 21.5 ng/kg bw), and c) other bread (acute exposure 15 - 68 ng/kg bw, chronic exposure 0.0055 - 29 ng/kg bw).

Exposures in subpopulation groups

Vegans and Vegetarians

53.          The numbers of vegans (n=10) and vegetarians (n=112) among the total number of consumers (n= 2556) were relatively small.

54.          For vegans (n=10) the LB and UB mean and 97.5^th percentile acute exposures were 64 – 70 ng/kg bw and 127 – 130 ng/kg bw, respectively. For vegetarians (n=112) the LB and UB mean and 97.5^th percentile exposures were 61 – 67 ng/kg bw and 135 – 140 ng/kg bw, respectively.

55.          For vegans (n=10) the LB and UB mean and 97.5^th percentile chronic exposures were 44 – 49 ng/kg bw and 84 – 87 ng/kg bw, respectively. For vegetarians (n=112) the LB and UB mean and 97.5^th percentile exposures were 38 – 43 ng/kg bw and 78 – 92 ng/kg bw, respectively.

Ethnicity

56.          The numbers of Asian or Asian British women of childbearing age (n=135) and Black or Black British women of childbearing age (n=82) were relatively small compared to White women of childbearing age (n=2234).

57.          The LB and UB mean and 97.5^th percentile acute exposures were 57.8 - 68 ng/kg bw and 110 - 130 ng/kg bw for Asian women, respectively. The LB and UB mean and 97.5^th percentile acute exposures were 47 - 55 ng/kg bw and 100 - 110 ng/kg bw for Black women, respectively. For White women the LB and UB mean and 97.5^th percentile exposures were 52 - 56 ng/kg bw and 120 - 130 ng/kg bw, respectively.

58.          The LB and UB mean and 97.5^th percentile chronic exposures were 34 - 46 ng/kg bw and 71 - 97 ng/kg bw for Asian women, respectively. The LB and UB mean and 97.5^th percentile exposures were 27 - 33 ng/kg bw and 73 - 85 ng/kg bw for Black women, respectively. For White women the LB and UB mean and 97.5^th percentile exposures were 30 - 34 ng/kg bw and 73 - 79 ng/kg bw, respectively.