Aluminium: food-related health risk assessment of the consumers

Aluminum is the most abundant metal in the lithosphere, constituting 8 % of the earth's crust. Aluminum enters the food from the various objects of environment such as water, food contact materials (packaging materials, cooking vessels), aluminum-containing food additives. In raw food products the content of aluminum is less than 5.7 mg/kg of the product. Normally, aluminum is not practically found in a human body. However, within the last decade various toxic effects of aluminum on human body have been revealed, and they are able to cause the risk of various diseases. The analysis of the available data has demonstrated that the excessive entry of aluminum in human body with food items is associated first of all with the content of aluminum-containing food additives, as well as with the use of materials and products made of aluminum and its alloys intended for contact with food. High level of aluminum consumption has been also detected among children of all ages. At the same time, today, the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) of aluminum for children is not established. To reduce negative effect of aluminum on human body it is necessary to: - exclude from the list of Annex 2 of the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union "Requirements for Food Additives, Flavorings and Technological Aids” (TR TS 029/2012) the following food additives - potassium aluminum silicate (E555), bentonite (E558), sodium aluminum silicate (E554), potassium aluminum silicate (E555), calcium aluminum silicate (E556), aluminum silicate (kaolin) (E559); - to develop requirements for the aluminum content in food products intended for children nutrition; - to obtain data on aluminum content in food items sold on the domestic market and to assess health risks to consumers.