On-line edition of the Compendium of food additive specifications
A consolidated edition of the Compendium of food additive specifications is now available at FAO's JECFA Web page at http://www.fao.org/es/esn/jecfa/index_en.stm. The edition is divided into two sections: one covering flavouring agents and the other covering all other food additives. Users can search by additive name or number (INS, JECFA No., FEMA, CAS). For additives other than flavouring agents, they can also search by functional use and purity criteria. Searches can also be conducted for all specifications designated as tentative. The analytical methods for food additives which are published as Guide to JECFA Specifications (FAO Food and Nutrition Paper 5/Rev. 2), can be accessed as well, even with a direct link from the single specification.
Limits for heavy metals in food additives
An explanatory note is available at the FAO Joint Secretariat's Web page. It should be noted that the revision of the limit test for heavy metals constitutes a change of the specifications in its own right. For a food additive the valid JECFA specification consists of the specification as originally published plus the modifications introduced by the revision of the heavy metal test. Modified specifications will be republished in a consolidated second edition of the Compendium of food additive specifications (FAO Food and Nutrition Paper 52).
Chemical and Technical Assessments (CTA)
The CTAs which were prepared since the 61st meeting are published electronically at FAO's JECFA webpage http://www.fao.org/es/ESN/jecfa/chemical_assessment_en.stm.
Comments and feedback
The FAO Joint Secretariat to JECFA welcomes and encourages any feedback on this volume and the online edition of the Compendium. Suggestions on how the availability of the results of JECFA's work can be improved are welcome. Please send your comments to:
