Advances in researches on triclosan residue in food and its oral toxicity

Triclosan, as a highly effective and broad-spectrum antibacterial agent, has been widely used in agricultural industry, packaging material for food and daily use products. Triclosan residues could remain in food through food packaging, food cleaning, contaminated water and soil; the residues could be ingested by humans and exert adverse effects on human health. However, food-safety related concentration limit of triclosan has not been established at home and abroad. This study summarized the data on the residual amount of triclosan in food and its oral toxicity. The characteristics and influencing factors of triclosan distribution in food and potential risk for human health of the triclosan residue were overviewed. The review provides references for researches on triclosan-related food safety and human health.