Author Description

This report represents the conclusions of a Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee convened to evaluate the safety of various food additives and to prepare specifications for the identity and purity of the food additives, including flavouring agents. The first part of the report contains a general discussion of the principles governing the toxicological evaluation of and assessment of dietary exposure to food additives. Specifications for the following food additives were revised: citric and fatty acid esters of glycerol (CITREM); metatartaric acid; mannoproteins from yeast cell walls; and steviol glycosides. Specifications for cassia gum were made tentative. Specifications for eight flavouring agents were revised: methyl propionate; ethyl oleate; alpha-methyl-beta-hydroxypropyl alpha-methyl-betamercaptopropyl sulfide; vanillin; ethyl vanillin; 2,2,3-trimethylcyclopent3-en-1-yl acetaldehyde; alpha- and beta-cyclocitral (50:50 mixture); sodium 2-(4-methoxyphenoxy)propanoate; and 2,2,6-trimethyl-6- vinyltetrahydropyran. Annexed to the report are tables summarizing the Committee’s recommendations for dietary exposures to and toxicological evaluations of all of the food additives considered at this meeting as well as the specifications for all of the food additives, including flavouring agents, considered at this meeting.