Thursday, 14 October 2004

Today the European Commission adopted a proposal to amend Directive 95/2/EC, dealing with food additives. The proposed amendments will reduce the authorised levels of nitrates and nitrites in meat products, withdraw the authorisation for the use of propyl paraben (E216 and E217).

The Commission and EFSA have also reviewed the use of E214-219 p-hydroxybenzoates (parabens) and their sodium salts.

EFSA could not establish an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) level for propyl paraben because there was a lack of clear "no-observed-adverse-effect" level.

The Commission is therefore proposing that the authorisation for the use of this paraben (E216) and its sodium salt (E217) should be withdrawn, while there will be no change as regards the use of the other parabens.