RISK MANAGEMENT APPROACHES TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF MAXIMUM LEVELS OF VITAMINS AND MINERALS IN FOOD SUPPLEMENTS FOR ADULTS AND FOR CHILDREN AGED 4-10 YEARS

This updated fourth edition of the risk management model for the setting of maximum levels of vitamins and minerals in food supplements for adults and for children aged 4–10 years has been developed for use by government risk managers and the food supplement sector. It takes into account the tolerable upper intake levels (ULs) derived from international risk assessments, the highest intake contributions to total intake from conventional foods, fortified foods and food supplements and a number of assumptions to account for potential increases of intake over time.
The proposed maximum levels for food supplements (MLS) have been defined to ensure that intake of vitamins and minerals from food supplements is safe and balances the risk of deficiency with the risk of overconsumption. Levels are proposed for the adult population and for children. To encompass various scenarios of intake, the model integrates a number of conservative assumptions including the use of the 97.5th percentile of intake and an additional safety factor to account for potential future increases in intake of vitamins and minerals.