Public consultation on harmonised approach for nutrients in regulated products

Some nutrients are regulated under different legal frameworks for use in products such as food additives and pesticides. A draft approach out for public consultation today, aims to integrate and harmonise how EFSA’s scientists assess the intake of these substances.

Intake of nutrients is generally positive and, in many cases, essential for human and animal health, but an excessive intake of some nutrients could raise health concerns. Risk assessors set Health-Based Guidance Values (HBGVs), a threshold value to indicate how much of a substance, including nutrients, is safe for people and animals. Decision-makers use the HBGVs to help them determine how much of a substance is permitted in regulated products such as food additives and pesticides.

Recent examples of regulated substances that are nutrients include phosphates, chlorides and copper. EFSA recently accepted a new request from the European Commission to review consumer exposure to copper from multiple sources and, if necessary, reconsider the current ‘acceptable daily intake’ of copper.

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