They are a set of chemical substances that are classified as persistent organic pollutants (POPs), these compounds are found distributed around the world in the environment, forming part of the food chain since they are usually stored in tissuefat from certain animals. Toxins are considered highly toxic and can lead to deficiencies in the proper development of people, since it causes problems in the immune system, causing hormonal lack of control, which would lead to the formation of diseases such as cancer. Due to the fact that people are in constant exposure to these substances, various measures have been taken to prevent this, among which the strong control measures on food products of animal origin stand out.
These are considered as compounds that pollute the environment, which have a high level of toxicity which represents a great problem for living beings, since it can affect the correct functioning of certain organs and systems of the body. At the moment in which dioxins enter the body, they can remain in it for long periods of time, this is because they have chemical stability and properties to adhere to fatty tissuewhere it accumulates, according to research carried out, the permanence of dioxins in the body can extend for more than 5 years. They are usually present in the food chain, an important fact is that the higher the level of the animal that contains dioxin, the higher its concentration.
The main source of dioxin formation are industrial processes, followed by processes of natural origin, such as volcano eruptions or large fires, however the main responsible for their release into the environment are uncontrolled burning of waste This is due to the fact that the combustion generated in this process is incomplete. Currently, new technologies have been created that help to properly incinerate the waste, which avoids the emission of dioxins in large proportions. The main concentrations of dioxins in the environment can be located in soils and certain foods, especially those of animal origin, such as dairy products, meat, seafood, fish, among others.