Dietary reference values for chloride

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Dietary Reference Values
• Food Safety

Background:

• Establishing dietary reference values (DRVs) for chloride presents challenges due to a lack of specific biomarkers and direct evidence linking intake to health outcomes.
• Chloride and sodium exhibit a close physiological relationship, with sodium chloride being a primary dietary source for both electrolytes in European populations.
• Urinary excretion patterns in Western populations show molar equivalence between sodium and chloride, suggesting a link between their intake and balance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To derive dietary reference values (DRVs) for chloride for various population groups within the European Union.
• To establish safe and adequate intake levels for chloride, considering its relationship with sodium.

Main Methods:

• The Panel utilized the established reference values for sodium as a basis for deriving chloride reference values.
• Chloride reference values were set to be equimolar to the corresponding sodium reference values across different age groups and life stages.
• Adequate intake for infants aged 7-11 months was determined separately.

Main Results:

• DRVs for chloride were set at 1.7 g/day (1-3 years), 2.0 g/day (4-6 years), 2.6 g/day (7-10 years), and 3.1 g/day (11-17 years and adults).
• For adults, including pregnant and lactating women, the DRV for chloride is 3.1 g/day.
• An adequate intake of 0.3 g/day was established for infants aged 7-11 months.

Conclusions:

• The derived chloride reference values are considered safe and adequate for the general EU population, assuming sodium chloride is the primary dietary source.
• The equimolar relationship to sodium reference values supports these recommendations.
• These DRVs provide essential guidance for public health nutrition in the EU.