Calcium carbonate (E 170) as a food additive, re-assessed
What it found
The authors say there is no need for a numerical daily limit for calcium carbonate and no safety concern from its use as a food additive at reported levels, including in infants under 16 weeks.
They flag aluminium present in it as a concern.
What they found
Daily limit not needed
The authors concluded that there is no need for a numerical acceptable daily intake for calcium carbonate.
No safety concern, according to the study
The authors say that, in principle, there are no safety concerns from exposure to calcium carbonate itself at the currently reported uses and use levels in all age groups, including infants below 16 weeks of age.
Small part of calcium
Calcium taken in from E 170 in food makes up only a small part of the total calcium in the diet for the general population and for infants under 16 weeks.
Aluminium in E 170
Aluminium is unavoidably present in E 170. The authors say this is of concern and should be addressed.
Specifications update
The technical data sent in by business operators support further changes to the specifications for E 170 set out in Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012.
What the authors conclude
“the Panel concluded that there is no need for a numerical acceptable daily intake (ADI) for calcium carbonate and that, in principle, there are no safety concern with respect to the exposure to calcium carbonate per se at the currently reported uses and use levels in all age groups of the population, including infants below 16 weeks of age.”
Also in their conclusions
- They concluded that there is no need for a numerical acceptable daily intake for calcium carbonate.
- They say that, in principle, there are no safety concerns with respect to exposure to calcium carbonate per se at the currently reported uses and use levels in all age groups, including infants below 16 weeks of age.
- They state that the unavoidable presence of aluminium in E 170 is of concern and should be addressed.
How it was done
Calcium carbonate (E 170) was last re-evaluated in 2011. The authors were asked to look again at its use in foods for infants under 16 weeks and to address issues left open from the earlier assessment for the general population.
The authors ran a call for data so that interested business operators could send in the information needed to complete the risk assessment. They then assessed the safety of calcium carbonate for its uses as a food additive, including in foods for infants under 16 weeks, and as carry over.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This assessment is based on data provided by business operators and on reported uses and use levels.
- It cannot show what happens when calcium carbonate is used at different levels or in different foods from those reported.
The paper
- Title
- Re-evaluation of calcium carbonate (E 170) as a food additive in foods for infants below 16 weeks of age and follow-up of its re-evaluation as food additive for uses in foods for all population groups
- Type
- Scientific opinion of the European Food Safety Authority
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings (FAF), Younes M, Aquilina G, et al (2023). Re-evaluation of calcium carbonate (E 170) as a food additive in foods for infants below 16 weeks of age and follow-up of its re-evaluation as food additive for uses in foods for all population groups. EFSA journal. European Food Safety Authority. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2023.8106Free full textPubMed 37522100DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error