SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE IDENTITY AND PURITY OF FOOD ADDITIVES ARISING FROM THE 53^RD JECFA MEETING (AGENDA ITEM 11)[33]

66. The 31^st Session of the CCFAC decided to reconvene the ad hoc Working Group on Specifications prior to its current Session under the Chairmanship of the USA.[34] The ad hoc Working Group was chaired by Dr. P. Kuznesof (USA). Mrs. H. Wallin (Finland) acted as Rapporteur and Mrs. I. Meyland (Denmark) acted as Category Monitor.

67. The Committee noted that Specifications for the Identity and Purity of Food Additives arising from the 53^rd JECFA meeting (FAO/FNP 52 - Add. 7) had been circulated for comments under CL 1999/25-FAC. The Committee referred 2 food additives and 22 flavouring agents in Category III back to JECFA for further advice.

68. The Committee was advised that many specifications contained limits for residual isopropanol, a commonly used extraction solvent in the manufacture of food additives. The ad hoc Working Group on Specifications brought to the attention of the Committee that isopropanol had been evaluated by JECFA but it had not allocated an ADI. The Committee, therefore, agreed to the recommendation of the ad hoc Working Group on Specifications requesting that the JECFA Secretariat advise CCFAC if further action was needed with regard to the safety status of isopropanol used in the manufacture of food additives.

69. With regard to the comments received by the ad hoc Working Group on Specifications, the Committee agreed to ask JECFA to consider three points with regard to monographs of the flavouring agents:

• That an identification test must be accompanied by a relevant spectrum of a reference compound;
• It was not necessary to employ several different kinds of spectroscopic techniques as one relevant identification test was usually sufficient; and,
• That a boiling point given in specifications be for information purposes only and not a requirement.

Further, JECFA should be asked to consider use of a mathematical formula for converting specific gravity values obtained at 20 degrees Celsius to values corresponding to 25 degrees.

Status of the Specifications for the Identity and Purity of Food Additives Arising from the 53^rd JECFA Meeting

70. The Committee agreed to forward 34 food additives and 55 flavouring agents in Category I to the Commission for adoption as Codex Advisory Specifications and 2 food additives in Category II to the Commission after editorial changes including technical revisions (see Appendix IX).

71. The Committee thanked the ad hoc Working Group for its efforts, and agreed to reestablish the ad hoc Working Group on Specifications to meet prior to the 33^rd Session of the CCFAC.