This book presents the conclusions of an expert committee commissioned to evaluate the safety for human consumption of selected food additives and contaminants in food and to establish acceptable daily intakes for these substances. The committee also establishes specifications for the identity and purity of food additives in order to make certain that the materials subjected to toxicological testing are adequately defined and correspond to the products in commerce. The report, issues new or revised acceptable daily intakes or provisional tolerable weekly intakes for some 20 food additives and for two contaminants. The second part summarizes the toxicological data that formed the basis of new or revised acceptable daily intakes for three antioxidants, seven enzyme preparations, three flavouring agents, the food colour erythrosine, two sweeteners, a miscellaneous group of additives, and the contaminants benzolalpyrene and ochratoxin. The report lists measures that can be taken by both consumers and the food industry to minimize contamination of food with this and other carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The report concludes with a table summarizing recommended daily intakes and listing changes in the status of specifications for substances considered by the committee.
