Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has called for comment on an application to amend the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code) to extend the use of rosemary extract as a food additive. Members of the industry have been asked to submit feedback on the proposal.
FSANZ CEO Dr Sandra Cuthbert said rosemary extract is already permitted in the Code for use as a food additive in certain foods up to specified maximum permitted levels (MPLs).
“The use of the antioxidant properties of rosemary extract in food is well documented in the scientific literature," Dr Cuthbert said.
“Based on the safety and dietary exposure assessments conducted by FSANZ, there is no evidence of a public health and safety concern associated with extending the use of rosemary extract as a food additive."
The dietary exposure assessments were undertaken to cover a number of scenarios that included current permissions, requested permissions, MPLs and Usual Use Levels. Dietary exposures were estimated for both Australian and New Zealand population groups. The ADI was exceeded (110 percent and 150 percent) only in two scenarios in the New Zealand population aged 5-14 years, and only for the 90th percentile dietary exposures when MPLs were used. This is due to a number of reasons, including lower body weights for that age group and one day of food consumption data being used for the estimate.
The dietary exposure estimates based on MPLs are highly conservative and are not likely to occur in reality. The Usual Use Level scenarios represent more likely estimates of dietary exposure. The P90 dietary exposures based on Usual Use Levels were 60 percent and 95 percent of the ADI respectively for the New Zealand population aged 5-14 years. For the Australian population aged two years and above, and the New Zealand population aged 15 years and above, the highest P90 exposures were 85 percent and 75 percent, respectively based on MPLs.
The application has sought to extend the use of rosemary extract as a food additive in colourings and flavourings, edible oils, cooked or instant noodles, breadcrumbs, tortillas (corn or wheat), sausages, and fermented uncooked processed meat products.
