EFSA Reduces Tolerable Melamine Intake Level

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has lowered the tolerable daily intake (TDI) for melamine, a chemical used in the manufacture of certain plastics, by about 60%.

AN EFSA expert panel on contaminants in the food chain set a new TDI of 0.2 milligrams per kilogram of bodyweight, a statistical analysis of the toxicological data revealed.

The authority’s step follows a study indicating it may cause harmful effects to the kidneys, even at lower levels of intake.

The EFSA said exposure data analysed by the panel on food contact materials indicated that exposure to melamine through foodstuffs is generally below the TDI.

In 2009, the European Commission asked the EFSA to re-assess the TDI intake for melamine and determine the likely levels of background exposure to the chemical and related substances for humans and animals.