Origin of Food Additives

Food additives can be obtained from plants, animals, or minerals; they can also be produced synthetically(1). Regardless their origins, natural or synthetic, these products have to go through the same toxicological assessment processes.

Food Additives Assessment

At an international level, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) work together to assess the risks food additives might entail for human health. The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)–composed of independent scientific experts–is the organization in charge of conducting this scientific assessment. 

Food additives are evaluated based on scientific research studies which include information on purity and technological activity suggested, compound stability during food processing, shelf life of products to which they are added. Compound metabolism is also examined–how the product is absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted–and if it is metabolized, the transformation and use within the body and, if transformed, what compounds result from it and how safe each one is. 

Toxicological Assessments

In vitro: Research on cell and bacteria mutagenicity (in case the compound could cause genetic damage), toxicity of specific cells, among others. 

Testing on animal models including acute toxicity at a short, medium and long term. 

Long-term research studies consider the risk of consuming the additive analyzed on a daily basis, in high doses, during all the life, and its potential to cause cancer. Reproductive toxicity is also evaluated, it takes into consideration the effect an additive might have on fertility, pregnancy, neonatal development, breastfeeding, and reproductive capacity in a second, and even a third, generation.

Toxicological assessment manuals stipulate what research studies are to be conducted depending on the product absorption, distribution, and excretion routes. For instance, if a product is not absorbed and gets to the intestine where it will ferment in the gut microbiota, its effect on microbiota level is assessed and byproducts resulting from fermentation are also considered if the microbiota is unable to metabolize them. In this case, fermentation process tolerance is also analyzed since sometimes gases are released which can result in discomfort. 

How Is the Safe Food Additive Dose Defined?

Once research is concluded, independent expert committees evaluate the results and determine the amount considered safe.

This dose is known as the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI), and it is obtained taking as a reference the amount which did not have any negative effect observed. The ADI is then divided by a safety factor considering the resulting data of testing on animal models and the differences among individuals of a same community. 

After the safe intake dose is defined, oftentimes additional clinical trials are conducted to answer specific doubts. For example, in the case of sweeteners used to substitute sugars, their impact on the metabolism is tested–people with diabetes are particularly considered given the fact that they will probably consume higher doses of these compounds compared to the rest of the population.

Other factors considered by expert committees and authorities are:

• Local diet, since consumption habits and culture change from one country to another possibly changing the exposure people have to an additive. To set usage standards safe for each country it is imperative to take local diet into consideration.
• Safety for the most vulnerable individuals, since it is known that by protecting the most vulnerable, the safety of all population groups is guaranteed. 

And this is how food additives are approved. Regardless their origins, and before getting to consumers’ hands, these products have to go through a strict assessment backed by hundreds of scientific research studies and evaluated by independent scientific expert committees. 

Written by Rebeca López-García, Ph.D.

Reference List

Aditivos alimentarios. (2018, 31 enero). Recuperado 20 de septiembre de 2022, de https://www.who.int/es/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/food-additives#:%7E:text=Los%20aditivos%20alimentarios%20son%20sustancias,su%20textura%20o%20su%20aspecto

Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Alimentación y la Agricultura. Evaluación de los riesgos asociados con las sustancias químicas (JECFA). [Consultado 17 de diciembre de 2013]. Disponible en: http://www.fao.org/food/food-safety-quality/scientific-advice/jecfa/es/

OECD (2000). OECD Guidelines for the Testing of Chemicals. Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Paris, Eleventh Addendum.

European Commission. Scientific Committee on Food. Guidance on submissions for food additive evaluations by the scientific committee on food. SCF/CS/ADD/GEN/26 Final. (12-07-2001).