Table 11.

Qualitative evaluation of influence of uncertainties on the dietary exposure estimate

Sources of uncertainties	Directiona
Consumption data: different methodologies/representativeness/underreporting/misreporting/no portion size standard	+/–
Use of data from food consumption surveys covering only a few days to estimate high percentiles (95th) long‐term (chronic) exposure	+
Consumption of sponge cakes taken into account to represent consumption of specific cakes that can be assumed to be consumed rarely by a small percent of the population (occasional eating)	+
Assumption that all sponge cakes contain the additives while regulation indicates that only very specific cakes should contain the additive and the Mintel GNPD indicates that only a few sponge cakes were labelled with the additives	+
Food categories selected for the exposure assessment: exclusion of FC 10.2 processed eggs and egg products due to missing FoodEx linkage	–
Regulatory maximum level exposure assessment scenario: exposure calculations based on the MPL according to Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008	+

^a+, uncertainty with potential to cause overestimation of exposure; –, uncertainty with potential to cause underestimation of exposure.