Improvement of analytical methods in post‐market monitoring of food additives and testing of the improved methods (OC/EFSA/DCM/2012/04): Final report on analysis and summary of the food additives pilot survey results

Abstract

A total of 1500 samples were collected at retail level by Ainia Technological Centre, in four different European Countries (Hungary, Germany, United Kingdom and Spain). These processed foods (composed of 400 soft drinks, 100 juices and nectars, 500 candies and 500 ready to eat snacks) were chosen for their relatively high content on food additives and their significant intake in high-risk groups such as children and young people. The samples were analysed using new developed and validated multi-analyte methodologies based on CE (capillary electrophoresis) techniques. The analytes involved on the survey were food additives: food colours, sweeteners and others. As a summary, in approximately 99%, 95% and 31% of the samples analysed of soft drinks, snacks and candies, respectively, at least one or more food additives were quantified.. The food additives quantified most frequently were, in decreasing order of frequency, (i) soft drinks: citric acid -citrates, phosphoric acidphosphates and acesulfame K; (ii) snacks: citric acid -citrates, phosphoric acid -phosphates and glutamic acidglutamates (iii) candies: citric acid -citrates and lactic acid -lactates. © ainia, 2014