Follow-up of the re-evaluation of silver (E 174) as a food additive (EFSA-Q-2023-00169)
EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings (FAF) Andreassen, Monica Aquilina, Gabriele Bastos, Maria Lourdes Boon, Polly Castle, Laurence Fallico, Biagio Lourdes FitzGerald, Reginald Frutos Fernandez, Maria Jose Grasl-Kraupp, Bettina
EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings (FAF)
Andreassen, Monica
Aquilina, Gabriele
Bastos, Maria Lourdes
Boon, Polly
Castle, Laurence
Fallico, Biagio Lourdes
FitzGerald, Reginald
Frutos Fernandez, Maria Jose
Grasl-Kraupp, Bettina
Series / Report no.
Open Access
Type
Article
Language
en
Date of publication
2025-03-06
Year of publication
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Title
Follow-up of the re-evaluation of silver (E 174) as a food additive (EFSA-Q-2023-00169)
Translated Title
Published in
EFSA J 2025; 23(4):e9316
Abstract
Silver (E 174) is a food colour that was re-evaluated by the EFSA ANS Panel (2016). The ANS Panel concluded that the information available then, was insufficient to assess the safety of silver as food additive. The major issues included limited characterisation of silver E 174 (e.g. quantity of nanoparticles) and release of ionic silver. Following a European Commission call for further data to fill the data gap, the Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings (FAF) was requested to assess the safety of silver (E 174). One interested business operator (IBO) submitted limited data on particle size distribution and morphology, two genotoxicity studies and one subchronic study. The Panel concluded that the technical data submitted on physicochemical characterisation of all types of silver used as food additive E 174 were not adequate. As a result, the Panel was unable to propose changes to the EU specifications of E174 on particle size and morphology. As the additional information requested was not provided, the assessment was based solely on the submitted data. Nonetheless, given the data provided and silver insolubility in water, the Panel concluded that E174 requires risk assessment at the nanoscale following the EFSA Guidance on Risk assessment of nanomaterials to be applied in the food and feed chain, to complement the conventional risk assessment. The Panel considered that the genotoxicity data and sub-chronic toxicity data were inadequate. Consequently, the Panel could not conclude on the safety of the food additive silver E 174.