SILVER SPRING, Md.–The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) recommended the Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA) increase the maximum level of steviol glycosides and set a maximum level of sorbates in non-liquid food supplements. AHPA made these suggested at the 43rd CCFA session in Xiamen, China, March 14 to March 18, and also submitted them via a letter to FDA officials who serve as the U.S. representatives to the CCFA meeting
Specifically, AHPA recommended that CCFA:
- Replace a proposed maximum level of 1,820 mg/kg for steviol glycosides in food supplements with a level of 10,000 mg/kg. Steviol glycosides are the compounds in stevia leaf (Stevia rebaudiana) responsible for its sweetness.
- Support Codex' proposed maximum level of 2,000 mg/kg of sorbates in liquid food supplements, but also establish a maximum level of 1,000 mg/kg of sorbates for non-liquid food supplements.
"A food supplement tablet containing steviol at the level suggested by AHPA would represent only a small portion of its commonly accepted daily intake level," said Michael McGuffin, AHPA president. "And because steviol only has a functional application as a sweetener in supplements that are tasted in the mouth, it is not likely to become broadly used in food supplements and will not be used in capsules or tablets that are swallowed without tasting."
The CCFA is part of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the international body created to develop food standards, to protect the health of consumers, and to ensure fair trade practices in the food trade. The maximum levels of steviol glycosides and sorbates are in the process of being established under the Codex General Standard for Food Additives.
Codex has no legal authority in the United States, but its standards can be significant in countries with emerging economies and markets for dietary supplements. A Codex standard also creates a point of reference for comparisons with the regulations in place in other countries that can be useful in the creation or amendment of such standards in the United States.
"We tapped into our members' expertise to develop positions that were consistent with their use of these substances in food supplements," McGuffin said. "As a result, we've asked Codex to take specific action on the maximum levels of steviol glycosides and sorbates in food supplements and provided documentation to support our requests."
