Risk Assessment of "Other Substances" – Curcumin

Abstract
The Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety (Vitenskapskomiteen for mattrygghet, VKM) has, at the request of the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet; NFSA), assessed the risk of "other substances" in food supplements and energy drinks purchased in Norway. VKM has assessed the risk of doses in food supplements and concentrations in energy drinks given by NFSA. These risk assessments will provide NFSA with the scientific basis while regulating the addition of “other substances” to food supplements and other foods. "Other substances" are described in the food supplement directive 2002/46/EC as substances other than vitamins or minerals that ha ve a nutritional and/or physiological effect. It is added mainly to food supplements, but also to energy drinks and other foods. VKM has not in this series of risk assessments of "other substances" evaluated any claimed beneficial effects from these substances, only possible adverse effects. The present report is a risk assessment of curcumin, and it is based on previous risk assessments and articles retrieved from literature searches. According to information from NFSA, curcumin is an ingredient in food supplements purchased in Norway. NFSA has requested a risk assessment of 300, 600 and 900 mg/day of curcumin in food supplements. The intake of curcumin was estimated for the age groups children (10 to <14 years), adolescents (14 to <18 years) and adults (≥18 years). Other sources of curcumin, such as foods and cosmetics, have not been included in the present risk assessment. Curcumin is the main ingredient in the spice turmeric, which is derived from the ground rhizomes of the plant Curcuma longa Linn. Other curcuminoids in turmeric are demethoxycurcumin and bis -demethoxycurcumin (EFSA, 2010). Curcumin is used as a food additive (E100) and is a spice component, such as in turmeric and curry. The absorption of curcumin is low, and the absorbed curcumin is efficiently metabolised by the liver and excreted into the biliary system. The curcumin plasma levels peak within 2 hours of administration, and complete clearance occurs within a few hours thereafter (Heger et al., 2014). Maximum curcumin intake from food as food additive and spice combined has been reported to be 2.3 and 1.6-7.6 mg/kg bw per day for adults and children (1-10 years in the case of food additive; 5-12 years in the case of spices), respectively (EFSA, 2010). An acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 0-3 mg/kg bw per day was allocated by JECFA (2004), based on the NOAEL from a multigeneration reproductive toxicity study in rats (Ganiger, 2002; Ganiger et al., 2007). Based on the same study, EFSA established an ADI of 3 mg/kg bw per day (EFSA, 2010). For children (10 to <14 years), the estimated daily intakes of curcumin were 6.9, 13.8 and 20.7 mg/kg bw per day from daily doses of 300, 600 and 900 mg curcumin, respectively, from food supplements. For adolescents (14 to <18 years), the estimated daily intakes were 4.9, 9.8 and 14.7 mg/kg bw per day from daily doses of 300, 600 and 900 mg curcumin, respectively, from food supplements. For adults (≥18 years), the estimated intakes were 4.3, 8.6 and 12.9 mg/kg bw per day from a daily intake of 300, 600 and 900 mg curcumin, respectively, from food supplements. The intake from all three doses of curcumin exceeded the ADI value of 3 mg/kg bw per day for all age groups. VKM concludes that a daily intake of 300, 600 or 900 mg of curcumin in food supplements may represent a risk of adverse health effects in children (10 to <14 years), adolescents (14 to <18 years) and adults (≥18 years).
Description
Keywords
Adverse health effect, curcumin, food supplement, negative health effect, Norwegian Food Safety Authority, Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety, other substances, risk assessment, VKM
Citation
Steffensen Inger-Lise, Bruzell Ellen, Granum Berit, Hetland Ragna Bogen, Husøy Trine, Rohloff Jens, Wicklund Trude. Risk Assessment of "Other Substances" – Curcumin. European Journal of Nutrition and Food Safety. 2018 May; 8(4): 139-141