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Refined exposure assessment for Azorubine/Carmoisine (E 122)

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Abstract

Following a self-tasking request, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) carried out a refined exposure assessment for Azorubine/Carmoisine (E 122) taking into account additional information on its use in foods. In 2009, the EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food (ANS) adopted a scientific opinion on the re-evaluation of Azorubine/Carmoisine (E 122) used as a food additive. In that opinion, the Panel concluded that, at the high percentile of exposure (95th), using either the maximum permitted levels (MPLs) or the reported use levels provided by industry, intake estimates for 1- to 10-year-old children could be above the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of 4 mg/kg body weight (bw) per day. Following this conclusion, EFSA performed a refined exposure assessment for this food colour, using new usage data from industry, as well as analytical data submitted to EFSA by Member States, and the EFSA Comprehensive European Food Consumption Database. Usage data from industry were provided to EFSA for five out of the 50 food categories in which Azorubine/Carmoisine (E 122) is authorised as a food additive, whereas analytical data from Member States were provided to EFSA for 32 food categories. Using MPLs, exposure estimates exceeded the ADI at the high level for toddlers and children. In the refined exposure scenarios, the ADI was not exceeded for any of the population groups at either the mean or the higher exposure level.