Scientific Committee on Food

Subsequent studies have confirmed that the reason for this discrepancy is that the rat is able to rapidly metabolise P-carotene to retinol in the intestine, through the action of intestinal dioxygenase. In contrast humans absorb P-carotene systemically such that plasma levels of P-carotene increase to levels not found in the rodent. A more appropriate animal model is the ferret, which shows a similar metabolism to humans. High levels of plasma P-carotene in the ferret induce the cellular transcription factors c-fos and c-jun, and squamous metaplasia is seen in the lung with or without exposure to cigarette smoke (SCF, 2000). Even after the investment of all these resources it has not been possible for the EU Scientific Committee on Food to set an ADI. 

SCF (2000). Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Food on the Tolerable Upper Intake Level of Beta Carotene. Scientific Committee on Food, http //europa.eu.int/comm/ food/fs/sc/scf/index en.html. 

EU Scientific Committee on Food, Opinion on Request for Use of Algal Beta-Carotene as a Food Colour, June 13, 1997. 

Scientific Committee on Food (SCF), European Commission (2002), Risk Profile on the Microbiological Contamination of Fruits and Vegetables Eaten Raw, Report. 

Scientific Committee on Food. 2002. General View of the Scientific Committee on Food on the Long-term Effects of the Intake of Elevated Levels of Phytosterols from Multiple Dietary Sources, with Particular Attention to the Effects on 3-carotene. SCF/CS/NF/DOS/20 ADD 1 Final, European Commission, Brussels, Belgium. 

As required by Directive 89/107/EEC, criteria of purity have been drawn up for all the listed food additives (with a couple of exceptions). Purity criteria for all the permitted sweeteners have been prescribed in Directive 95/31/EC,6 as amended, and criteria for all the permitted colours are contained in Directive 95/ 45/EC,7 as amended. Directives that prescribe purity criteria for all the additives authorised under Directive 95/2/EC have been drawn up in stages. Directive 96/ 77/EC8 containing purity criteria for antioxidants and preservatives is amended by Directives 98/86/EC which lays down purity criteria for emulsifiers, stabilisers and thickeners and 2000/63/EC which contains purity criteria for most additives numbered E 500 and above, and for certain other additives not covered in the earlier directives. Purity criteria for most of the few remaining permitted miscellaneous additives are contained in Directive 2001/30/EC however, purity criteria for E 1201 polyvinylpyrrolidone and E 1202 polyvinylpolypyrrolidone are still being considered by the Scientific Committee on Food. Some methods of analysis for verifying prescribed purity criteria have been developed at EU level these are contained in Directive 81/712/EEC.9... 

Data on the safety studies were submitted to international agencies like the Joint Expert Committee for Food Additives of the WHO and FAO (JECFA), and the Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) of the EC. Both committees endorsed acesulfame K as a food additive. Initial acceptance was based on an NOEL of 900mg/kg in dogs which were considered to be the most sensitive species. Therefore Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) values of 0-9 mg/kg of body weight were allocated.8 9 Evidence that rats would be an appropriate model for risk assessment was the reason for JECFA to change the ADI to 0-15 mg/kg of body weight on the basis of a no-effect level of 1500-3000 mg/kg in rats.10 Countries allocating their own ADI values like the USA and Canada have come to the same conclusion. The SCF still retains its 0-9 mg/kg ADI.11... 

SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE ON FOOD, Revised opinion on cyclamic acid and its sodium and calcium salts, SCF/CS/ADD/EDUL/192, Brussels, European Commission, 2000. 

SCIENTIFIC committee ON FOOD, Opinion on Saccharin and its sodium, potassium and calcium salts, SCF/ADD/EDUL/148, Bmssels, European Commission, 1997. 

SCF ADI Acceptable Daily Intake allocated by the Scientific Committee on Food, formerly known as the Scientific Committee for Food. (The SCF has often considered and then adopted JECFA ADI values.) Numbers in this column are the numerical ADI in mg per kg body weight, (mg/kg b.w.) expressed as 0—X, because 0 mg/kg b.w. is also acceptable NS = Not specified. This implies that the no-effect level and conditions of use have been assessed to be such as to cause no toxicological concern. It does not mean that no ADI could be allocated, because of, for instance, lack of submitted evidence. 

European Union Health and Consumer Protection Directorate-General Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Food on Bisphenol A. SCF/CS/PM/3936 Final, 22 p, 3 May 2002... 

Petitioners for the use of food additives can find information on the authorization of new additives, revisions of existing provisions, or approval of a new additive source or manufacturing method in Guidance on Submissions for Food Additive Evaluations published by the Scientific Committee on Food (24). This document describes the required administrative and technical data, toxicological tests, and submission format, and should be consulted for the detailed information required for the preparation of a dossier on a new food additive. 

Guidance on Submissions for Food Additive Evaluations. Scientific Committee on Food. Brussels, July 2001. 

Regulatory. Aspartame is permitted across the world in all major markets. It has an ADI of 40 mg/kg bw, which is significantly higher than other sweeteners. It is ironic that, historically, this sweetener has been the subject of allegations about adverse health effects. Evidence put forward has been largely anecdotal and picked up and promoted via the internet or the lay press. Scientifically controlled peer-reviewed studies have consistently failed to link aspartame consumption, even of abuse levels, to adverse health effects. The most recent review, of over 500 studies and reports about aspartame conducted by the Scientific Committee on Food (SCF), concluded that... 

The risk to health from chemicals in food can be assessed by comparing estimates of dietary exposure with recommended safe levels of exposure. For most metals and other elements, these are the Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intakes (PTWIs) and the Provisional Tolerable Daily Intakes (PTDIs) recommended by the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives of the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations and the World Health Organisation International Programme on Chemical Safety (JECFA). The European Commission s Scientific Committee on Food has established other relevant safe levels. These are Acceptable Daily Intakes (ADIs) for chemicals added to food, and Tolerable Daily Intakes (TDIs) for chemical contaminants. The use of the term tolerable implies permissibility rather than acceptability. All the above recommendations are estimates of the amount of substance that can be ingested over a lifetime without appreciable risk, expressed on a daily or weekly basis as appropriate. 

There have been health concerns about the presence of nitrate in food as it can be metabolised to potentially carcinogenic /V-nitroso compounds. For this reason, the European Commission s Scientific Committee on Food considered the implications for human health of nitrate in food in 1990 and set an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) for the nitrate ion of 0-3.65 mg/kg body weight (equivalent to 219 mg/day for a 60 kg person) and an ADI for the nitrite ion of 0-0.07 mg/kg body weight.45 These ADIs were reviewed in 1995, when the ADI was confirmed and a new ADI of 0-0.06 mg/kg body weight was set.46... 

Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) for a number of compounds in the group permitted for use in food contact materials and these are given in Table 8.5. The SCF has also recommended a group restriction for the sum of other phthalates. This is simply a precautionary limit set as a guide pending sufficient toxicological data to set TDIs. 

Discussions on limits for lead and cadmium in a wide range of foodstuffs have been going on for several years in a Working Party under DG III ( now under DG SANCO). The Scientific Committee on Food has carried out toxicological evaluations on these metals. As yet, limits for these metals have been adopted by the Commission, but a decision is expected soon. 

SCF. 2003. Scientific Committee on Food. Report on the revision of essential requirements of infant formulae and follow-on formulae (opinion expressed on April 4, 2003). 

There is little information on the short- or long-term side effects on the safety of creatine supplementation. However, there have been reports of some athletes suffering side effects with the alleged overdosing of creatine (e.g, the natural production of creatine being curtailed in the athlete s body). The European Commission s Scientific Committee on Food (September 7, 2000) has concluded that high doses of creatine supplementation should be avoided (i.e., > 3 grams per day). 

The Scientific Committee on Food (Directorate General, Health and Consumer Protection, European Commission) concluded, in its statement of 19 June 1992, that the average percentage of lead in foodstuffs did not seem alarming, but that longer term action was necessary to further reduce it. 

Food and Nutrition Board set a tolerable upper level for adults of 100 mg per day (Institute of Medicine, 1998) the European Union (Scientific Committee on Food, 2000) set 25 mg per day. 

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