What is the main aim of toxicity testing?

The main aim of toxicity testing is to determine the safety of substances for human and environmental health. This process is essential in identifying potential adverse effects that chemicals can have on living organisms and ecosystems. Toxicity testing helps assess how exposure to various substances might lead to health risks such as acute or chronic toxicity, carcinogenicity, reproductive toxicity, and environmental impacts.

Through this testing, regulatory agencies and companies gain critical information that informs risk assessments and safety regulations, ensuring that products available to the public do not pose significant hazards. This focus on safety is vital for maintaining public trust and protecting both human life and the environment.

In contrast, while reducing costs, enhancing flavor profiles, and marketing chemicals effectively are relevant aspects of the chemical industry, they do not directly pertain to the primary goal of toxicity testing, which is fundamentally about assessing safety and risk.