EFSA publishes aluminium opinion

Tuesday 15 July 2008

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published an opinion on the safety of aluminium from dietary intake. The Food Standards Agency is not changing its advice to people as a result of this opinion.

EFSA scientists have established a tolerable weekly intake (TWI) of 1 milligram of aluminium per kilogram of body weight and they estimate that intakes of aluminium may exceed the TWI in a significant part of the European population. A tolerable weekly intake is the amount of a contaminant that experts recommend can on average be eaten every week over a whole lifetime without causing harm. But EFSA has been unable to conclude on the specific sources contributing to the aluminium content of particular foods.

Dr Sue Barlow, Chair of the Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Food Contact Materials, which produced the opinion, said: 'This review is timely because it has highlighted the need for better data on the sources and extent of use of aluminium in food, so that exposure can be reduced for those who may be exceeding the TWI.'

Aluminium is present in a range of everyday foods and drinks, many of which (such as cereals and vegetables) are important parts of a healthy diet. Aluminium has been shown to affect the nervous and reproductive systems in animals.

One aspect of the report highlights that, based on information from a non-UK study, some brands of infant formula may give infants an aluminium intake higher than the safety guideline.

The FSA's recent surveys, see links below, of infant formula do not raise concerns about aluminium intake for infants in the UK fed on cows' milk-based formula. However, there are possible concerns about the aluminium levels in soya-based formula and the Agency will seek to obtain further information in this area. Current Government advice regarding soya-based formulas is that they should only be used on the advice of your GP.

The FSA is advising parents and carers in the UK that there is no need to change their baby's feed as a result of this latest EFSA statement.

Breastfeeding gives the best start for an infant and brings significant health benefits for both mother and infants beyond the period of breastfeeding and later in life. All UK Health Departments and the FSA recommend breastfeeding, as breastmilk provides all the nutrients the infant needs in the first six months and breastfeeding should be continued beyond this, along with solid foods.

Metals and other elements can be present in foods naturally, as a result of human activities (such as farming practices and industrial emissions), from storage or processing of foods (such as tin dissolution from cans into canned food), or added intentionally (such as iron). The main route of intake for most of these elements is from our diet. Some of these elements are essential nutrients, which we need to get from food for healthy functioning. Others have no known beneficial health effects, but all may be harmful if eaten in excessive amounts.

The FSA regularly monitors the concentrations of metals and other elements in food. Previous multi-element analysis of the Total Diet Study (which is representative of the average UK diet) have shown that concentrations of metals and other elements in food do not present significant risks to the general UK population.

However, estimates of dietary intakes for the general population cannot be easily or accurately extended to infants, as infants have a diet that is different in many ways from that of adults and of children old enough to eat conventional adult foods. As infants grow and develop very rapidly in their first year of life, their energy requirements and food consumption are on average higher relative to their body weight than that of adults and older children. This means that infants can have relatively higher dietary exposures to chemicals present in food than other age groups, when expressed on a body weight basis.

In addition, infants' diets are made up of a more restricted range of foods, particularly before and in the early stages of weaning when the diet is made up entirely or largely of breast milk and/or commercial formulae. On weaning, when solids are given, a large proportion may be commercially available weaning foods.

The composition of commercial formulae for infants and weaning foods can be very different from the foods that make up the diet of the general population and therefore information is needed on the levels of metals and other elements in these food groups. The range of weaning foods is constantly growing and changing, so it is important that the Agency updates its information on such foods regularly.

We at Infant Feeding Information will update this page when new information is available.