Table 1.
Safety evaluation of certain food additives with examples and INS number.
| S. no. | Functional class | Description | Example of food additive | INS no. | Acceptable daily intake (ADI) | Median lethal dose (LD50) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Preservative | Prolong the shelf life of foods by protecting them against deterioration caused by microorganisms. | (a) Sodium benzoate (b) Potassium benzoate |
211 212 |
0-5 mg/kg bw 0-5 mg/kg bw |
Oral rat >4070 mg/kg [92] Rat >10,000 mg/kg [93] |
| 2. | Sweeteners | Impart a sweet taste to foods or in tabletop sweeteners. | Aspartame | 951 | 40 mg/kg bw | Oral rat >10,000 mg/kg [94] |
| 3. | Stabilizers | Maintain the physicochemical state of a food stuff. | Carrageenan | 407 | 75 mg/kg bw | Oral rat >5,000 mg/kg [95] |
| 4. | Colouring agents | Add or restore colour in a food and include natural constituents of foods and natural sources. | Tartrazine | 102 | 0-10 mg/kg bw | Mouse >6250 mg/kg [96] |