Enfoques actuales para la justificación de los niveles de ingesta tolerable de vitaminas y minerales

The upper tolerable intake levels (ULs) for vitamins and minerals and their content in the widely consumed foods and in a specialized nutrition (SN) become very relevant due to the growing interest in both segments fortification. The substantiation of these micronutrients' tolerance limits in fortified foods and dietary supplements (DS) is complicated by the fact that such products are dedicated to eliminate micronutrient deficiencies without excessive intake at the population and individual levels. ULs substantiation for vitamins and minerals is the key element in this issue resolving, while ULs of these micronutrients have not been updated for more than 17 years in the Russian Federation. The aim of the research was to analyze and to summarize the current approach to the substantiation of micronutrient safe levels of intake based on health risk and safety assessment, in particular for vitamins and minerals, as well as for other bioactive compounds.

A literature search was conducted in Russian and in English using the peer reviewed sources database PubMed, Russian on-line scientific platforms eLibrary and CyberLeninka, official European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) on-line platform.

The paper describes current approaches to safe intake level determination for micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) based on the risk assessment. Both scientific and regulatory sources in the field of setting safe levels of intake for micronutrients and bioactive compounds were reviewed. The four steps risk assessment process for establishing ULs for vitamins and minerals is given. The process is based on the complex assessment of possible adverse health effects on humans. The need to update the ULs is identified for the following micronutrients: vitamin A (retinol) and carotenoids, vitamin B9 (folates), vitamins D and C; minerals - calcium, magnesium, potassium; trace elements - iodine and iron.

Actual data based on the latest scientific information for the purpose of consumption levels substantiation and, in turn, micronutrient content standardization in food - is a necessary element to ensure the disease prevention efficiency using fortified foods, SN and DS. For the vitamin A (retinol) and carotenoids; vitamins B9 (folates), D and C; minerals (calcium, magnesium, potassium); trace elements (iodine and iron) - it is advisable to provide an action plan allowing to update the existing Russian ULs for DS and SN dedicated to the adult population.