EuroMix

European Test and Risk Assessment Strategies for Mixtures

Every day, we are exposed to a mixture of multiple chemicals via food intake, inhalation and dermal contact. The risk to health that may result from this depends on how the effects of different chemicals in the mixture combine, and whether there is any synergism or antagonism between them. The number of different combinations of chemicals in mixtures is infinite and an efficient test strategy for mixtures is lacking. EuroMix will apply several in-silico and in-vitro tools to mixtures of chemicals that can have an effect on four selected endpoints: liver, hormones, development and immunology.
Furthermore, there is a societal need to reduce animal testing, which is the current practice in safety testing of chemicals.

The EuroMix project will deliver a mixture test strategy and test instruments using novel techniques as recently proposed by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission. The tests will result in data needed for refining future risk assessment of mixtures relevant to national food safety authorities, public health institutes, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the European Chemical Agency (ECHA), industry, regulatory bodies and other stakeholders. Ultimately, this will provide information for future risk management decisions on the safety of chemicals in mixtures to be taken by the European Commission and the Codex Alimentarius. 

EuroMix has a total of 22 partners and 4 affiliated partners. RIVM is leading the EuroMix project. See also our news message and the EuroMix project website.