Re-evaluation of saccharin and its sodium, potassium and calcium salts (E 954) as food additives.

This opinion deals with the re-evaluation of saccharin and its sodium, potassium and calcium salts (E 954) as food additives. Saccharin is the chemically manufactured compound 1,2-benzisothiazol-3(2H)-one-1,1-dioxide. Along with its sodium (Na), potassium (K) and calcium (Ca) salts, they are authorised as sweeteners (E 954).

How long can you store vitamins? Stability of tocopherols and tocotrienol during different storage conditions in broccoli and blueberries.

Differences between the stability of α-, β-, γ-, and δ-tocopherol as well α-tocotrienol stored at -20 °C and -80 °C were studied in broccoli and blueberry samples. Before storage up to 28 days, they underwent different initializing processes such as freezing quickly with liquid nitrogen and freeze-drying, followed by homogenization. While α-tocopherol levels in blueberries did not significantly differ, levels in broccoli were substantially higher after homogenization of freeze-dried samples compared to fresh broccoli samples.

Results of the BfR MEAL Study: Acrylamide in foods from the German market with highest levels in vegetable crisps.

Acrylamide (AA) is formed in foods due to thermal processes. AA was analysed in 230 foods in the first German Total Diet Study and the highest mean levels of AA were found in vegetable crisps (1430 μg/kg), followed by potato pancakes (558) μg/kg) and pan-fried potatoes (450 μg/kg). In various foods, e.

Germany's first Total Diet Study - Occurrence of non-dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in foods.

The occurrence of persistent organic pollutants like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in food represents a public health concern. The BfR MEAL Study was initiated to generate a comprehensive data base of occurrence data for chemicals in the most consumed foods in Germany. Non-dioxin-like PCBs (NDL-PCBs) and PBDEs were analysed in 300 foods, purchased and prepared representatively for the eating behaviour of the population in Germany.

Assessment of long-term dietary cadmium exposure in children in Germany: Does consideration of data from total diet studies reduce uncertainties from food monitoring programmes?

Total diet studies (TDS) and food monitoring programmes are different approaches for collecting occurrence data on substances in food. This case study evaluated the practical applicability of TDS data (BfR MEAL Study) and monitoring data for the assessment of long-term cadmium exposure in children in Germany. Cadmium data from both programmes were combined with food consumption data from the KiESEL study.

Re-evaluation of erythritol (E 968) as a food additive.

This opinion addresses the re-evaluation of erythritol (E 968) as food additive and an application for its exemption from the laxative warning label requirement as established under Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011. Erythritol is a polyol obtained by fermentation with BC or KW3-6, followed by purifications and drying. Erythritol is readily and dose-dependently absorbed in humans and can be metabolised to erythronate to a small extent.

Corrigendum to "The first German total diet study (BfR MEAL Study) confirms highest levels of dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls in foods of animal origin title of article" [Food Chem.: X 16 (2022) 100459].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.fochx.

Long-term dietary exposure to copper in the population in Germany - Results from the BfR MEAL study.

The German Total Diet Study (BfR MEAL Study) measured copper in 356 foods. In 105 of these foods copper was determined separately for conventionally and organically pooled samples. Mammalian liver, nuts, oilseeds, cocoa powder and chia seeds contained the highest copper levels.

Reusability of Germany´s total diet study food list upon availability of new food consumption data-comparison of three update strategies.

Background: The German total diet study (TDS)-BfR MEAL Study-established its food list in 2016 based on food consumption data of children (0.5-<5 years) and adults (14-80 years). The list consists of 356 foods selected for analysis in order to ensure ≥90% coverage of the diet.

Re-evaluation of the existing health-based guidance values for copper and exposure assessment from all sources.

Copper is an essential micronutrient and also a regulated product used in organic and in conventional farming pest management. Both deficiency and excessive exposure to copper can have adverse health effects. In this Scientific Opinion, the EFSA 2021 harmonised approach for establishing health-based guidance values (HBGVs) for substances that are regulated products and also nutrients was used to resolve the divergent existing HBGVs for copper.

Re-evaluation of neohesperidine dihydrochalcone (E 959) as a food additive.

The present opinion deals with the re-evaluation of neohesperidine dihydrochalcone (E 959) when used as a food additive. It is obtained by catalytic hydrogenation of a flavanone - neohesperidine - which is naturally occurring and thus isolated by alcohol extraction in bitter oranges (). Based on data in rat, neohesperidine dihydrochalcone is likely to be absorbed, also in humans, and to become systemically available.

Chronic dietary exposure to total arsenic, inorganic arsenic and water-soluble organic arsenic species based on results of the first German total diet study.

For risk assessment purposes, the dietary exposure to total arsenic and inorganic arsenic was estimated within the first German total diet study (BfR MEAL Study) for the whole population in Germany. Therefore, occurrence data of 356 different foods from the BfR MEAL Study were combined with consumption data from German nutrition surveys. Due to the different toxicological potentials of other water-soluble organic arsenic species present in rice-based foods, fish and seafood, dietary exposure to dimethylarsinic acid, monomethylarsonic acid and arsenobetaine was assessed in consumers in Germany through such foods for the first time.

Results of the BfR MEAL Study: Highest levels of retinol found in animal livers and of β-carotene in yellow-orange and green leafy vegetables.

This Total Diet Study (TDS) provides representative data on substance levels in foods, prepared as typically consumed by the population in Germany for future dietary exposure assessment. Vitamin A is essential and must be obtained from the diet, either as preformed vitamin A or as provitamin A carotenoids. Levels of retinol and β-carotene were analysed in 333 and 271 foods, respectively.

The first German total diet study (BfR MEAL Study) confirms highest levels of dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls in foods of animal origin.

The first German Total Diet Study, called the BfR MEAL Study, generated a comprehensive dataset of polychlorinated dibenzo--dioxins and -furans (PCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs) in foods representative for the consumption habits in households in Germany. PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs are persistent organic pollutants. Dietary intake is considered to be the most relevant exposure pathway for humans.

KiESEL - The Children's Nutrition Survey to Record Food Consumption for the youngest in Germany.

Background: With KiESEL, the Children's Nutrition Survey to Record Food Consumption, the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) collected representative food consumption data for children aged six months up to five years. KiESEL was one of five modules of KiGGS Wave2 (German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents) conducted by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). The objective was to update the consumption data for children in Germany and to fill a data gap for the age group of five-year-old children.

Results of the BfR MEAL Study: In Germany, mercury is mostly contained in fish and seafood while cadmium, lead, and nickel are present in a broad spectrum of foods.

The BfR MEAL Study provides representative levels of substances in foods consumed in Germany. Mercury, cadmium, lead, and nickel are contaminants present in foods introduced by environmental and industrial processes. Levels of these elements were investigated in 356 foods.

Results of the BfR MEAL Study: The food type has a stronger impact on calcium, potassium and phosphorus levels than factors such as seasonality, regionality and type of production.

The BfR MEAL Study aims to provide representative levels of chemical substances in foods consumed by the population in Germany for dietary exposure assessment. Calcium, potassium and phosphorus (Ca, K, P) are essential to obtain physiological functions in humans. Levels were investigated in 356 foods.

Collection of occurrence data in foods - The value of the BfR MEAL study in addition to the national monitoring for dietary exposure assessment.

Two different data sets of occurrence data are available in Germany at present: the German National Food Monitoring and the BfR MEAL Study. To determine the suitability of each data set for exposure assessment and to develop concepts for a target-oriented selection and application of data, possibilities, limitations and scope of substance as well as food selection is quantitatively compared. The National Monitoring data provides comprehensive information on the variability of substance levels.

Re-evaluation of thaumatin (E 957) as food additive.

The present opinion deals with the re-evaluation of thaumatin (E 957) when used as a food additive. Thaumatin is a natural plant protein, consisting of thaumatin I and thaumatin II proteins together with minor amounts of plant constituents, obtained by acidic aqueous extraction of the arils of the fruit of plant. The Panel followed the conceptual framework for the risk assessment of certain food additives and considered that thaumatin is a digestible protein; adequate exposure estimates were available; there was no concern with respect to the genotoxicity; no conclusion on oral allergenicity could be drawn from the available human data; no adverse effects were observed in sub-chronic toxicity studies in rats and dogs at the highest dose tested of up 5,200 and 1,476 mg/kg bodyweight (bw) per day, respectively, and in a prenatal developmental toxicity study up to 2,000 mg/kg bw per day; moderate confidence in the body of evidence supported the absence of association between exposure to thaumatin and adverse health outcomes.

Exposure assessment of methylmercury in samples of the BfR MEAL Study.

The BfR MEAL Study is the first German total diet study and will establish a representative and comprehensive database for dietary exposure assessment in Germany. The present study reports first results of the BfR MEAL Study regarding methylmercury in fish, seafood and mushrooms. In total, 34 MEAL foods were purchased nationally or regionally according to a defined sampling plan, prepared in a representative way for German households, pooled into 49 samples, homogenized and subjected to ICP-MS analysis.

Total arsenic and water-soluble arsenic species in foods of the first German total diet study (BfR MEAL Study).

Arsenic can occur in foods as inorganic and organic forms. Inorganic arsenic is more toxic than most water-soluble organic arsenic compounds such as arsenobetaine, which is presumed to be harmless for humans. Within the first German total diet study, total arsenic, inorganic arsenic, arsenobetaine, dimethylarsinic acid and monomethylarsonic acid were analyzed in various foods.

Analysis of consumer behavior for the estimation of the exposure to chemicals in personal care products.

In this study, the main objective was to implement an integrative modelling framework in order to support the prioritization and screening of chemicals present in personal care products (PCPs) regarding their potential to expose users across multiple possible pathways. Here, we implemented an exposure-based framework based on product intake fractions (PiFs) calculated using a two-compartment model reproducing the skin uptake and the competing volatilization of chemicals applied on skin during PCP use. The implemented framework enabled to simultaneously and comprehensively accommodate coupled chemical specific parameters (i.

What do we know about health risks related to thebaine in food?

Opium alkaloids such as morphine and thebaine occur in the latex of Papaver somniferum varieties. Some varieties are used for both, pharmaceutical opium alkaloid generation and poppy seed production for food use. Poppy seeds can be contaminated with opium alkaloid-containing latex, e.

Aggregated aluminium exposure: risk assessment for the general population.

Aluminium is one of the most abundant elements in earth's crust and its manifold uses result in an exposure of the population from many sources. Developmental toxicity, effects on the urinary tract and neurotoxicity are known effects of aluminium and its compounds. Here, we assessed the health risks resulting from total consumer exposure towards aluminium and various aluminium compounds, including contributions from foodstuffs, food additives, food contact materials (FCM), and cosmetic products.