Reviewing Citric Acid Esters for Baby Food Safety

In 2020, the Food Additives and Flavourings Panel (FAF Panel) took a fresh look at citric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (known as E 472c). Alongside this, they reviewed similar substances like acetic and tartaric acid esters (E 472a, b, d, e, f). The FAF Panel was later asked to check if E 472c is safe for baby food meant for infants under 16 weeks old. This includes foods like infant formula and special medical dietary foods. They also looked into updating the European Union's rules on E 472c in food. To do this, the panel asked businesses to share data for a risk assessment. After getting the technical information, they decided that the EU rules should be changed to better fit E 472c. The panel found no safety issues with E 472c in baby food, even at the highest allowed levels.