[Food additives and food adulteration].
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
SEARCH · PubMed Health
Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.
Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Adverse reactions to food and food additives must be classified according to pathogenic criteria. It is necessary to strictly differentiate between an allergy, triggered by a substance-specific immunological mechanism, and an intolerance, in which no specific immune reaction can be established. In contrast to views expressed in the media, by laymen and patients, adverse reactions to additives are less frequent than is believed. Due to frequently "alternative" methods of examination, an allergy to food additives is often wrongly blamed as the cause of a wide variety of symptoms and illness. Diagnosing an allergy or intolerance to additives normally involves carrying out double-blind, placebo-controlled oral provocation tests with food additives. Allergic reactions to food additives occur particularly against additives which are organic in origin. In principle, it is possible that during the manufacture of genetically modified plants and food, proteins are transferred which potentially create allergies. However, legislation exists both in the USA (Federal Drug Administration, FDA) and in Switzerland (Ordinance on the approval process for GM food, GM food additives and GM accessory agents for processing) which require a careful analysis before a genetically modified product is launched, particularly where foreign genes are introduced. Products containing genetically modified organisms (GMO) as additives must be declared. In addition, the source of the foreign protein must be identified. The "Round-up ready" (RR) soya flour introduced in Switzerland is no different from natural soya flour in terms of its allergenic potential. Genetically modified food can be a blessing for allergic individuals if gene technology were to succeed in removing the allergen (e.g. such possibilities exist for rice). The same caution shown towards genetically modified food might also be advisable for foreign food in our diet. Luckily, the immune system of the digestive tract in healthy people tolerates foreign antigens. Food allergies in adults occur mainly among those allergic to pollen.
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.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
This report represents 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) 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 and contaminants (including flavouring agents), and the establishment and revision of specifications. A summary follows of the Committee's evaluations of toxicological data on various specific food additives (alitame, cross-linked sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, mineral oils (low- and medium-viscosity), nitrate, nitrite, and salatrim and six groups of flavouring agents). Annexed to the report are tables summarizing the Committee's recommendations for ADIs of the food additives and recommendations on the flavouring agents considered, changes in the status of specifications, further information required or desired, and a summary of conclusions on flavouring agents with minimum assay values of 95% or less.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
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 the 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 other heavy metals, and enzymes derived from genetically manipulated organisms. A summary follows of the Committee's evaluations of toxicological data on various specific food additives (tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), microcrystalline cellulose, sucrose esters of fatty acids and sucroglycerides, alpha-acetolactate decarboxylase, maltogenic amylase, trans-anethole, hydrogenated poly-1-decene and maltitol syrup), food ingredients (short- and long-chain acyltriglycerides), flavouring agents and the contaminants aflatoxins. Annexed to the report are tables summarizing the Committee's recommendations for acceptable daily intakes of the food additives and food ingredients considered, changes in the status of specifications for these substances and specific flavouring agents, and further toxicological studies required.