Updated advice on acceptable intake for copper – consultation open

The Acceptable Daily Intake The amount of a substance (e.g. nutrient or chemical) that is ingested by a person or animal via the diet. ( ADI An estimate of the amount of a substance in food or drinking water that can be consumed daily over a lifetime without presenting an appreciable risk to health. It is usually expressed as milligrams of the substance per kilogram of body weight per day and applies to chemical substances such as food additives, pesticide residues and veterinary drugs.) for copper from all sources in food will be reduced from 0.15 mg/kg of body weight (bw) to 0.07 mg/kg bw based on an updated evaluation of the scientific evidence. EFSA’s draft scientific opinion Opinions include risk assessments on general scientific issues, evaluations of an application for the authorisation of a product, substance or claim, or an evaluation of a risk assessment. on copper in food is open for comments until 1 August 2022 – have your say now!

Copper is an essential micronutrient Nutrient required by the body in tiny amounts for normal growth, development and maintenance of health; for example, vitamins and minerals. for all living beings including humans. Too much or too little copper in the diet can lead to health problems. It is naturally present in many foods and also enters the food chain through its use in organic and conventional pesticides, feed and food additives, and as a 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. in fortified foods and food supplements.

EFSA’s Scientific Committee was asked to review the ADI An estimate of the amount of a substance in food or drinking water that can be consumed daily over a lifetime without presenting an appreciable risk to health. It is usually expressed as milligrams of the substance per kilogram of body weight per day and applies to chemical substances such as food additives, pesticide residues and veterinary drugs. for copper used in the various sectors across EFSA’s work in line with our 2021 approach for setting health-based guidance values, such as an ADI The acceptable daily intake (ADI) is an estimate of the amount of a substance in food or drinking water that can be consumed daily over a lifetime without presenting an appreciable risk to health. It is usually expressed as milligrams of the substance per kilogram of body weight and applies to chemical substances such as food additives, pesticide residues and veterinary drugs., for substances which are both nutrients and regulated products. The new ADI An estimate of the amount of a substance in food or drinking water that can be consumed daily over a lifetime without presenting an appreciable risk to health. It is usually expressed as milligrams of the substance per kilogram of body weight per day and applies to chemical substances such as food additives, pesticide residues and veterinary drugs. is derived from the retention of copper in the liver by adults.

Exposure to copper from all dietary sources

In addition to reviewing the acceptable intake, our scientists have assessed consumers’ exposure Concentration or amount of a particular substance that is taken in by an individual, population or ecosystem in a specific frequency over a certain amount of time. to total copper from all sources in the diet for the first time. In the general population Community of humans, animals or plants from the same species. exposure does not exceed this ADI An estimate of the amount of a substance in food or drinking water that can be consumed daily over a lifetime without presenting an appreciable risk to health. It is usually expressed as milligrams of the substance per kilogram of body weight per day and applies to chemical substances such as food additives, pesticide residues and veterinary drugs., but due to some uncertainties this may be underestimated for some subpopulations of regular consumers of foods with higher copper content.

Intakes for younger age groups exceed the new ADI An estimate of the amount of a substance in food or drinking water that can be consumed daily over a lifetime without presenting an appreciable risk to health. It is usually expressed as milligrams of the substance per kilogram of body weight per day and applies to chemical substances such as food additives, pesticide residues and veterinary drugs. but the experts concluded this would not pose a lifetime risk for copper toxicity The potential of a substance to cause harm to a living organism. and therefore is not considered a health concern. Young children need more copper for development and use it at a higher rate than adults. Therefore, copper is less likely to be retained in a child’s liver.

Once finalised, the new ADI An estimate of the amount of a substance in food or drinking water that can be consumed daily over a lifetime without presenting an appreciable risk to health. It is usually expressed as milligrams of the substance per kilogram of body weight per day and applies to chemical substances such as food additives, pesticide residues and veterinary drugs. will be applicable in relation to pesticides, feed additives and food additives, and EFSA’s 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. for copper as a micronutrient will be updated.

• Public consultation: Draft review of the existing health-based guidance values for copper and its exposure assessment from all sources