External Scientific Report
External Scientific Report
Scientific Opinion
Scientific Opinion
External Scientific Report
External Scientific Report
Scientific Opinion
External Scientific Report
Dietary reference values
A balanced diet is one that provides adequate amounts of various nutrients to maintain health and well-being. Protein A type of molecule composed of complex strings of amino acids (protein building blocks)., carbohydrate, fat, vitamins, minerals and water are all nutrients. Each nutrient An element or compound needed for normal growth, development and health maintenance. Essential nutrients cannot be made by the body and must, therefore, be consumed from food. has a particular function in the human body. The amount of each individual nutrient needed to maintain an individual’s health is called the nutrient requirement. Nutrient requirements vary depending on age and gender. Level of physical activity, physiological status (such as pregnancy), dietary habits and genetic background are also important factors.
Dietary reference values (DRVs) is an umbrella term for a set of nutrient reference values that includes the average requirement The level of a nutrient in the diet that meets the daily needs of half the people in a typical healthy population. ( AR The average requirement (AR) is the level of a nutrient in the diet that meets the daily needs of half the people in a typical healthy population.), the population reference intake The intake of a nutrient that is likely to meet the needs of almost all healthy people in a population. ( PRI The intake of a nutrient that is likely to meet the needs of almost all healthy people in a population. It stands for population reference intake.), the adequate intake A dietary recommendation used when there isn't enough data to calculate an average requirement. An adequate intake is the average nutrient level consumed daily by a typical healthy population that is assumed to be adequate for the population's needs. ( AI The adequate intake (AI) is a dietary recommendation used when there isn't enough data to calculate an Average Requirement. An AI is the average nutrient level consumed daily by a typical healthy population which is assumed to be adequate for the population's needs.) and the reference intake The amount of a substance (e.g. nutrient or chemical) that is ingested by a person or animal via the diet. range for macronutrients (RI). These values guide professionals on the amount of a nutrient needed to maintain health in an otherwise healthy individual or group of people. DRVs also include the tolerable upper intake level The maximum intake of substances in food, such as nutrients or contaminants, that can be consumed daily over a lifetime without adverse health effects. (UL), which is the maximum amount of a nutrient that can be consumed safely over a long period of time.
DRVs are not nutrient goals or recommendations for individuals (see FAQs). They are used by policy makers in the EU and its Member States to issue recommendations on nutrient intake to consumers. DRVs are also used as the basis for information on food labels and for establishing dietary guidelines. Such guidelines can help consumers make healthy dietary choices.
DRVs are intended for healthy people. Those who suffer from diseases may have different needs. Health professionals provide guidance to individuals or groups with specific needs.
Latest
EFSA’s nutrition The science of how diet relates to the body's need for sustenance. experts are reviewing the tolerable upper intake levels (ULs) of several vitamins and minerals.
February 2024 – Two public consultations on draft ULs for: 1) vitamin A and β-carotene, 2) iron, are currently underway:
‘Vitamin A’ is an essential nutrient Any substance which a living organism must consume from the diet in order to support normal health, development and growth. for humans and encompasses several compounds of which retinol (from animal-derived food) and β-carotene (abundant in vegetables and fruits) are the most prominent. Vitamin A content of foods is expressed as retinol equivalents (RE).
- The draft opinion states that excessive preformed Vitamin A intake may cause defects in the developing fetus. Our experts propose to keep the existing UL for preformed vitamin A of 3,000 micrograms RE/day for all adults, including women of child-bearing age, pregnant and lactating women, and post-menopausal women. Lower values have been calculated for younger populations groups.
- European populations are unlikely to exceed the UL for preformed vitamin A if consumption of liver and other offal is limited to once per month or less. Women who are planning to become pregnant or who are pregnant are advised not to consume liver products.
- Lung cancer risk was selected as the critical effect The adverse effect seen at the lowest dose when a vulnerable population is exposed to a substance such as an environmental or food toxin. This can relate to humans as well as to other species such as animals, plants or microbes. of excess supplemental β-carotene. The data does not allow the setting of a UL. The experts concluded however that there is no indication that β-carotene intake from the background diet leads to adverse health effects.
- Smokers should avoid consuming food supplements containing β-carotene. The general population should limit supplemental β-carotene intake to the purpose of meeting vitamin A requirements.
The consultation on vitamin A and β-carotene is running from 9 February to 22 March 2024. Share your insights!
Public consultation: Draft scientific opinion on the tolerable upper intake level (UL) for iron
Iron is required for oxygen transport, electron transfer, oxidation and energy metabolism The total sum of physical and chemical processes that occur within living organisms.. It is a vital part of red blood cells and muscle tissue. Excessive iron intake has been linked to organ toxicity The potential of a substance to cause harm to a living organism.. High dose The total amount of a substance (e.g. a chemical or nutrient) given to, consumed or absorbed by an individual organism, population or ecosystem. iron supplementation has also been associated with adverse gastrointestinal effects.
- Our experts were unable to establish a UL based on organ toxicity due to a lack of dose-response information. Humans cannot excrete iron. The human body downregulates iron absorption once iron stores are replete to slow down iron supply to the body. High dose iron supplementation typically leads to the occurrence The fact or frequency of something (e.g. a disease or deficiency in a population) happening. of black stools reflecting the presence of large amounts of unabsorbed iron in the gut. This is not adverse per se, but it was selected by our experts as an early indicator in the chain of events that may lead to potential iron overload.
- Our experts have established a ‘safe level of intake’ for iron of 40 mg/day for adults (including pregnant and lactating women). Lower values have been calculated for younger populations groups.
- In some assessments there are insufficient data to set a UL – a scientifically derived ‘ threshold A dose or exposure below which adverse effects are not detected.’ below which the risk of adverse health effects is negligible, but above which the intake is linked to the risk of adverse health effects, including disease. Experts can set a ‘safe level of intake’ instead which is more conservative than a UL. A safe level of intake tells us the level of intake at which there is reasonable confidence in an absence of harmful effects, but unlike the UL it does not indicate the level at which health risks may start to increase.
The consultation on iron is running from 16 February to 1 April 2024. Share your insights!
Milestones
2023
December
In our opinion on manganese our experts established a ‘safe level of intake’ of 8 mg/day for adults (including pregnant and lactating women) and between 2 and 7 mg/day for other population groups.
November
Existing ULs for folate for all population groups (e.g. 1000 micrograms per day for adults) remain unchanged and a new UL of 200 micrograms per day for infants aged 4–11 months is established. It is unlikely that the ULs for supplemental folate are exceeded in European populations, except for regular users of food supplements containing high doses of folic acid and related substances.
August
EFSA maintains the tolerable upper intake level for vitamin D at 100 micrograms per day for adults and includes a conversion factor for calcidiol monohydrate. European populations are unlikely to exceed the UL, except for regular users of food supplements containing high doses of vitamin D.
May
EFSA sets a new tolerable upper intake level for vitamin B6 of 12.5 mg/day for adults (including pregnant and lactating women), down from the previous UL of 30 mg/day set in 2000. Excessive intakes are associated with peripheral neuropathy, a type of damage to nerves in the body’s extremities. EU populations are unlikely to exceed the ULs, except for regular users of food supplements containing high doses of vitamin B6.
January
The tolerable upper intake level (UL) for selenium is the first of nine scientific opinions updating the upper threshold for selected vitamins and minerals. The new UL is 255 micrograms per day for adults: adult consumers are unlikely to exceed the UL, except for regular users of food supplements containing high daily doses of selenium or regular consumers of Brazil nuts. Selenium-containing supplements for toddlers and children should be used with caution, based on individual needs.
2022
August
A protocol for intake assessments in the revision of Tolerable Upper Intake Levels for selected nutrients is published. It describes the methodologies to use to assess their intake in EU populations and outlines a generic approach for all nutrients.
January
EFSA’s experts complete their scientific assessment of the UL for dietary sugars, in response to a request from five Nordic countries. They conclude that intakes of added and free sugars should be as low as possible.
2021
November
EFSA’s experts agree on draft Guidance for establishing Tolerable Upper Intake Levels for vitamins and essential minerals to be tested during a one-year pilot phase and revised as necessary following a public consultation. EFSA discusses the proposed update with stakeholders during an online workshop.
August
EFSA is requested to update the ULs for seven micronutrients (vitamins and minerals): vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin D, vitamin E, beta-carotene, iron, manganese, and folate/folic acid.
2020
The European Commission asks EFSA to update the UL for selenium.
2019
September
The completion of DRVs for sodium and chloride marks the end of ten years of work by EFSA’s nutrition scientists. This work started in 2009 after the European Commission asked EFSA to update values last set in the 1990s for macronutrients such as proteins and carbohydrates A family of nutritional substances that includes sugars, starches and fibres., and all vitamins and minerals. Many EFSA scientists contributed to this achievement over the years. The following interviews tell their story.
2018
November
The DRV Finder is launched, an easy-to-use interactive tool that allows health professionals to make quick and easy calculations using EFSA’s DRVs.
A special issue on DRVs comes out in the EFSA Journal collecting all the DRVs published so far and an overview of EFSA’s work in this area, in particular all the numerical values by population groups.
August
EFSA publishes an update of its scientific opinion on ULs for vitamin D in infants.
January
EFSA’s draft plan for assessing the health effects of dietary sugars goes out for public consultation.
2017 - 2013
A series of DRVs for micronutrients (except ULs) are published, covering 14 vitamins and 13 minerals.
2012
July
Publication of ULs for calcium and vitamin D updating previous opinions from the Scientific Committee on Food (SCF).
2012 - 2009
A series of DRVs for macronutrients are published, covering water, fats, carbohydrates and dietary fibre, protein, energy.
2010
March
EFSA publishes a scientific opinion laying down the general principles for establishing DRVs and starts the review of DRVs for macro- and micronutrients established by the SCF in 1993.
EFSA assists public authorities in Member States with its opinion on food-based dietary guidelines that advises policy makers how to translate nutritional recommendations into messages to consumers about foods.
2006
February
EFSA and the SCF publish a report of their scientific opinions identifying possible adverse health effects of individual vitamins and minerals at intakes in excess of dietary requirements and, where possible, establishing tolerable upper intake levels (UL) for different population groups. The report also covers trace elements such as boron, nickel, tin and vanadium.
2005
EFSA initiates its review and update of the reference values for nutrient and energy intakes established in 1993 by the SCF.
2000
The Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) adopts guidelines for the development of tolerable upper intake levels (ULs) for vitamins and minerals.
EFSA's role
EFSA gives independent scientific advice on nutrient intakes to EU risk managers and policy makers. Our advice provides an important evidence base to underpin nutritional policies, the setting of diet-related public health targets and the development of consumer information and educational programmes on healthy diets. Importantly, it is not our role to establish nutrition goals for populations or recommendations for individuals. Our scientific advice supports policy makers at national and EU level and health professionals who are responsible for this work.
In 2005, the European Commission asked EFSA to review and update the dietary reference values for nutrient and energy intakes established in 1993 by the Scientific Committee on Food (EFSA’s precursor). EFSA’s Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA Panel) laid the foundations for the task in a 2010 scientific opinion on the general principles for deriving and applying DRVs. The NDA Panel completed this work in 2019, producing a total of 34 scientific opinions that recommend DRVs for water, fats, carbohydrates and dietary fibre, protein, energy, as well as 14 vitamins and 15 minerals.
In addition, our scientists provide advice on the setting of tolerable upper levels of intake (UL) for vitamins and minerals (overview table). These values represent the highest daily intake of a nutrient over a lifetime that is unlikely to cause adverse health effects in humans.ULs are also used as a reference in EFSA's evaluations of the safety of nutrient sources added to food supplements.
EFSA receives ad hoc requests from the European Commission or Member States to review ULs for nutrients and completed assessments include vitamin D in infants and dietary sugars. Re-evaluations of existing ULs for vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin D, vitamin E, beta-carotene, iron, manganese, folate/folic acid, and selenium are scheduled for completion in 2023 or thereafter.
FAQ
DRVs are key concepts in the field of nutrition. They provide the scientific basis on which nutrition recommendations are built. They are used by nutrition and health professionals in dietary assessment and diet planning, at population and individual level. They can serve as the basis for risk managers or policy makers to set reference values in food labelling and establish food-based dietary guidelines Science-based recommendations for healthy eating which translate numerical nutrition targets into lay advice on what foods to eat.. They are also helpful to food manufacturers for product formulation and to scientists involved in nutrition research.
The Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) – EFSA’s predecessor – issued guidelines for the development of tolerable upper intake levels (ULs) for vitamins and minerals. These guidelines outline general principles which served as the basis for the evaluation of the adverse effects of micronutrients on humans and the setting of ULs carried out by the SCF and EFSA’s Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA). The NDA Panel reviewed the guidelines in 2021 and will finalise them following a pilot phase on ongoing assessments.
For DRVs other than ULs, EFSA’s framework is based on an opinion on the principles for deriving and applying dietary reference values. It provides the terminology and definitions and explains the methods and data used to derive DRVs. It also provides guiding principles for applying DRVs.
The criteria on which EFSA’s DRVs are based are described in each scientific opinion.
The requirement for a nutrient varies across individuals. The average requirement (AR) and the population reference intake (PRI) describe the distribution of requirements in a population. These give the intake of a nutrient that meets the daily needs of, respectively, half or most (97.5%) of the people in the population. On the assumption that the individual requirements for a nutrient are normally distributed within a population, the PRI is calculated as the AR plus twice its standard deviation (SD). In practice, the SD is seldom known and a default coefficient of variation is assumed for the derivation of PRIs. If the AR for a nutrient cannot be determined, no PRI can be derived.
When there is insufficient scientific evidence to determine the AR (and PRI), two other values – adequate intake (AI) and reference intake ranges for macronutrients (RI) – can be proposed.
An AI is the level of intake that is assumed to be sufficient based on observations from groups of apparently healthy people. It involves more judgement than is used for determining an AR or PRI. The practical implication of an AI is similar to that of a PRI i.e. to describe the level of intake of a nutrient that is considered adequate for good health. The distinction in the terms relates primarily to the different scientific basis on which they rest.
RIs are typically set for total fat and total carbohydrates based on their relative contribution to total energy intake. They indicate the range of intakes of an energy source that is adequate for maintaining health.
The type of value, and the criteria used, is decided on a case-by-case basis for each nutrient, depending on the available data.
DRVs are intended for healthy people. Those who suffer from diseases may have different needs. Health professionals provide guidance to individuals or groups with specific needs.
DRVs are developed for different population groups. The choice of groups is based on differences in nutrient requirements related to speed of growth, change in endocrine status, such as in puberty, and differences in nutrient absorption or body functions, such as renal function. Specific needs during pregnancy and lactation are also considered. Hence, DRVs are developed for different life-stages and gender groups, and for different age ranges. For each nutrient, the target populations are set on a case-by-case basis, depending on the available data.
For infants below 6 months, nutritional requirements are generally considered to be equal to the supply from breast milk, so no DRVs have been set by EFSA for this group. However, infants in their first half year may have specific nutritional requirements, which are addressed by national public health policies.
DRVs should not be viewed as recommendations for individuals. Rather, DRVs are scientific references for professionals, who use them when setting nutrient goals for populations or recommendations for individuals. Nutrient goals and recommendations are tailored to national contexts (e.g. public health priorities, nutritional status, dietary patterns, composition of available foods) and may therefore differ from country to country. The setting of nutrition goals and recommendations is outside EFSA’s remit.
ULs for vitamins and minerals published before 2005 have been compiled in a single report. Scientific opinions on ULs issued since then are published in the EFSA Journal. An overview table of all UL values is available for quick reference.
The full scientific opinions on DRVs for energy, water, macronutrients and dietary fibre, and for micronutrients (excepts ULs) have been compiled in a special issue of the EFSA Journal.
All DRVs values, including ULs, can also be easily retrieved through the DRVs Finder.
The data that EFSA used for calculating nutrient intakes among different age groups in European countries is stored in the agency’s Food Composition Database and Comprehensive European Food Consumption Database.