Opinion on certain bisglycinates as sources of copper, zinc, calcium, magnesium and glycinate nicotinate as source of chromium in foods intended for the general population (including food supplements) and foods for particular nutritional uses - Scientific

Abstract

SUMMARYFollowing a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in Contact with Food (AFC) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the use of copper bisglycinate chelate and chromium glycinate nicotinate as sources for respectively copper and chromium added for nutritional purposes to food supplements, and of calcium bisglycinate chelate and magnesium bisglycinate chelate as sources for respectively calcium and magnesium added for nutritional purposes to foods for particular nutritional uses and food supplements, and of zinc bisglycinate chelate when used as a source for zinc in foods intended for the general population (including food supplements) and foods for particular nutritional uses.The mineral amino acid chelates considered in this application are intended for use as a direct replacement for the permitted respective mineral forms of copper and chromium for nutritional purposes in food supplements according Council Directive 2002/46/EC, for calcium and magnesium for nutritional purposes in food supplements and the categories of PARNUTS other than for baby foods and infant formula according to Council Directive 89/398/EEC, and for zinc in foods intended for the general population (including food supplements) and foods for particular nutritional uses. The present opinion deals only with the safety of bisglycinate chelates of copper, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and of glycinate nicotinate as sources of the nutrient cations of respectively copper, zinc, calcium, magnesium and chromium and with the bioavailability of the nutrient cations from these sources. The safety of the nutrient cations themselves (copper, chromium, zinc, calcium and magnesium), in terms of amounts that may be consumed, is outside the remit of this Panel.The bisglycinates considered in this opinion consist of a bivalent metal ion, namely Cu +2 , Zn +2 , Ca +2 , and Mg +2 , linked to two molecules of glycine. The metal is bound to the carboxyl group and to the α-amino group of glycine with coordinate covalent bonds to form two heterocyclic rings. This 1:2 metal to ligand ratio restricts reaction with dietary inhibitors of the metal absorption and does not participate in oxidation reactions.Chromium(III) glycinate nicotinate chelate is also considered in this opinion.No specific use levels for the mineral bisglycinates under consideration in this opinion have been given. However, it is assumed that under the intended conditions of use, the daily intake would not exceed those levels anticipated through existing supplementation of the listed minerals and would be similar to other forms of copper, zinc, calcium, magnesium and chromium that are already approved for use in foods in the EU.Regarding the bioavailability of the different cations from their sources, data are provided showing that the minerals are bioavailable after oral administration.No genetic toxicity studies have been conducted on the compounds; however the Panel has no concern on the genotoxicity aspects of gly...