Evaluation of certain food additives. Eighteenth Report of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives.

This report presents the conclusions of a Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee convened to evaluate the safety of various food additives, with a view to recommending Acceptable Daily Intakes (ADIs) 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 the principles governing the toxicological evaluation of food additives, the assessment of intake of food additives, and the establishment and revision of specifications, including comments concerning enzyme preparations derived from genetically modified microorganisms and limits for heavy metals. A summary follows of the Committee's evaluations of toxicological data on specific food additives, including enzyme preparations (alpha-acetolactate decarboxylase and maltogenic amylase), flavouring agents (trans-anethole, furfural and menthol), food colours (curcumin and riboflavin from genetically modified Bacillus subtilis), glazing agents (medium- and low-viscosity mineral oils), preservatives (sulfur dioxide and sulfites), a sweetening agent (stevioside), thickening agents (carrageenan, processed Eucheuma seaweed and enzymatically hydrolysed sodium carboxymethyl cellulose), gamma-cyclodextrin, glucono-delta-lactone and the calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium salts of gluconic acid, and polyglycitol syrup. The Committee also evaluated the safety of various groups of flavouring agents and assessed the intake of specific food additives, including benzoates, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), sulfites and tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ). Annexed to the report are tables summarizing the Committee's recommendations for ADIs of the food additives considered, changes in the status of specifications for these substances and specific flavouring agents, and further toxicological studies and other information required or desired.