The update of the scoping review is commissioned by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet).

The food additives we will be investigating are used as emulsifiers, thickeners, and/or stabilisers. Emulsifiers are used to mix water and fats, such as in mayonnaise; thickeners are used to make food more viscous; and stabilisers can be used to prevent the precipitation of substances, such as cocoa in chocolate milk.

Background

In 2023, the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment (VKM) mapped research on gastrointestinal effects for the eight ESTs. One of the findings of this mapping was that there was insufficient information on the specific substances in more than 200 of the evaluated studies.

Assignment

The Norwegian Food Safety Authority has commissioned VKM to:

• Collect information about the substances that were insufficiently described in those studies which were excluded due to a lack of information about the substances.
• Update the literature search to see if relevant studies have been published following the completion of the literature search for the scoping review published 2023.
• Update the scoping review with data from newly included studies.

The project group consists of members from VKM’s Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids, Materials in Contact with Food, and Cosmetics and a project manager from the VKM secretariat:

• Camilla Svendsen, Scientific leader of the project
• Monica Andreassen
• Ellen Bruzell
• Eva Denison
• Tove Devold
• Berit Granum
• Trine Husøy, Chair of the Panel
• Gro Mathisen, VKM Secretariat, Project Manager

Members of the Panel for Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids, Materials in Contact with Food, and Cosmetics shall assess and approve the scoping review. The report will be published 11.03.2024March 11, 2025.