The Scientific Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in Contact with Food was asked by the European Commission to evaluate 58 flavoring substances in order to establish a list of authorized flavoring substances under regulation 1999/217/EC. In its evaluation, the Panel used the Maximized Survey-derived Daily Intakes (MSDIs) approach to estimate the per capita intakes of flavoring substances in Europe. However, when the Panel examined the information provided by the European Flavoring Industry on the use levels in various foods, it appeared obvious that the MSDI approach in a number of cases would underestimate the intake by regular consumers of products flavored at the use level reported by the Industry.
Given the Panel’s reservations concerning the data, it decided to also perform an estimate of daily intakes per person using a modified Theoretical Added Maximum Daily Intake (mTAMDI) approach based on the normal use levels reported by Industry. According to the MSDI approach, all of the substances were below the threshold of concern. However, using the mTAMDI approach, 16 of the 58 were above the threshold for concern. For these 16 substances the Panel is requesting more reliable exposure data.
