Link between beef consumption during pregnancy and reduced sperm quali...( and was unrelated to their sperm conce...)

In his commentary, Prof vom Saal said there was increasing evidence that xenobiotics can cause more damaging effects in humans if exposure occurs while a child is still developing in its mothers womb, than can be revealed by the traditional toxicology tests. "There is an entirely different view today, concerning the potential for harm from developmental exposure to very low doses of xenobiotics relative to the data available to JECFA based on research focusing on mutagenesis conducted in the 1970 and early 1980s," he said. He called on the JECFA and other regulatory bodies to revisit the risks associated with exposure during foetal development to hormonal residues in beef.

He concluded: "Given the importance of this issue, the intriguing relationship reported by Swan and colleagues should serve to stimulate further research to investigate the basis for the association between maternal beef consumption during pregnancy and sperm concentration in male offspring."