Evaluation of certain food additives and contaminants

This report presents the conclusions of a Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee convened to evaluate the safety of various food additives and contaminants, with a view to recommending acceptable daily intakes for humans, and to prepare specifications for the identity and purity of food additives. The first part of the report contains a general discussion of principles governing the toxicological evaluation of food additives and contaminants, including flavouring agents, and the establishment and revision of specifications, with comments concerning limits for arsenic, lead and heavy metals. A summary follows of the Committee's evaluations of toxicological data on various specific food additives (including tert-butylhydroquinone, mineral oils, waxes and alitame) and on beta-cyclodextrin, nitrate, nitrite, potassium bromate and the contaminants ochratoxin A and patulin. Annexed to the report are a table summarizing the committee's recommendations for acceptable daily intakes of these substances and changes in the status of specifications, and a list of further toxicological studies required or desired.