Chronic dietary exposure assessment on sweeteners in food consumed by the Chilean population

Autor(es): Miranda, C.; Martinez, N.; Sotomayor, G.
Nome da Publicação : Chilean Food Safety and Quality Agency (ACHIPIA)
Ano de publicação : 2021

Abstract:

The Chilean Food Safety and Quality Agency (ACHIPIA) conducted a chronic dietary exposure assessment, requested by the Ministry of Health of Chile (MINSAL). Four sweeteners were assessed (acesulfame K, aspartame, sucralose, and steviol glycosides), all of them authorized to be used by the Chilean regulation on the matter and vastly consumed by the Chilean population. The sources of data used were the National Food Consumption Survey (ENCA 2010) and analytical data from the Surveillance Programme for Food Additives carried out by MINSAL between 2018 and 2019. Four exposure scenarios were assessed (two conventional and two refined), considering consumption variations and brand loyalty. Results show neither of the sweeteners assessed exceeded its ADI in any population group and exposure scenarios evaluated in this study. Sucralose was found to have the highest ADI percentage, with a 56,36% for the group of infants (2 years old) in scenario 4 of high consumption and brand loyalty. The food categories that most contributed to ADI were powdered juice, soft drinks, liquid milk, and yogurt, which are widely consumed by children between 2 and 9 years old. Considering these results, in addition to the fact that most of these type of foods have been recently reformulated in their new versions with one or more sweeteners, suggests the need to continue monitoring the presence of food additives in food consumed by the Chilean population, in particular in children between 2 and 9 years old and the ones having other associated conditions such as diabetes, phenylketonuria, and obesity. This study concludes the likelihood of exceeding ADI of the four sweeteners assessed is very low by the consumption of the food categories in the population groups and scenarios considered in this assessment.

Summary:

This analysis, performed by the Chilean Food Safety and Quality Agency (ACHIPIA) with the support of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), aimed at assessing the dietary exposure of Chilean population (including children) to four authorised low/no calorie sweeteners, namely acesulfame potassium, aspartame, sucralose, and steviol glycosides.

ACHIPIA concluded that the estimated consumption of these four sweeteners is below the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) for each sweetener in all exposure scenarios represented and all age groups. The ADI is the amount of a food additive (for example, a sweetener) that can be consumed over a lifetime without appreciable health risk.

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