Food additatives. Use, intake and safety

Nils-Gunnar Ilbäck,Leif Busk

doi:10.3402/fnr.v44i0.1778

Abstract

Today we have about 300 approved food additives on the European market and all of them have been evaluated for safety by the European Commission's expert advisory body - the Scientific Committee for Food (SCF). There are fundamental requirements for approval of a food additive. The additive has to be of value for the consumer or necessary for the handling and distribution of the food. In addition, it has to be toxicologically acceptable according to European Community regulatory requirements. For most additives, a numerical (mg/kg bw/day) ADI-value (Acceptable Daily Intake) has been determined that shows how much it is possible to consume each day during a life time without any appreciable risk of adverse effects. If no adverse effects have been demonstrated in the safety evaluation no numerical value for the AD1 is specified and the additive may be used according to the principles of Good Manufacturing Practice (quantum satis), i.e. the minimum amount necessary to produce the desired effects. When the intake of certain food additives can be assumed to be high in relation to the ADI, this should always trigger additional consideration and action. For such food additives it is important that continuous monitoring of use and intake is performed, that potentially sensitive groups and/or individuals are identified and that intake calculations are performed to ensure that the AD1 is not exceeded. Key words: Consumption, food additives, intake, regulatory requirements, safety assessment

Highlights

The major goal for the National Food Administration (NFA) is to ensure the safety of food
In order to keep the intake of food additives within safe levels it is important to regulate the use of the additives in food, as well as to estimate consumption of the foods that contain the specific additive
The distribution of intakes tion information can be obtained from Alarm in the media across the population is likely to be trade data, Even though food additives are well redifferent if it is measured over a short national diet studies at the level of the gulated both regarding intake and risks period compared with the same measure- household, national diet studies at the in- there is a never ending debate in the media ment made over a longer time period. dividual level, whether by 24 hour recall, how dangerous food additives are

Summary

Introduction

The major goal for the National Food Administration (NFA) is to ensure the safety of food. All these food additives, except for the flavouring agents, are pure compounds that have been evaluated for safety and their use and intake are regulated, as will be discussed in the present article.

Results

Conclusion