Calcium silicate and silicon dioxide/silicic acid gel added for nutritional purposes to food supplements

The Expert group on Vitamins and Minerals (EVM) set a Safe Upper Level for daily consumption of silicon at 700 mg silicon/day for adults over a lifetime (equivalent to 12 mg silicon/kg body weight/day for a 60 kg adult). The Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for calcium is 2500 mg/day for adults (equivalent to 41.3 mg calcium/kg body weight/day). The EFSA Panel on Dietetic products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) was unable to set a UL for silicon, but estimated that the typical dietary intake of 20-50 mg silicon/day (equivalent to 0.3-0.8 mg/kg body weight/day in a 60 kg person) is unlikely to cause adverse effects. For calcium, the mean and 97.5th percentile anticipated total exposure from food and food supplements would vary from 823 to 1084 mg/person/day and 1560 to 2110 mg/person/day, respectively. The Panel concludes that, in view of the Safe Upper Level for silicon of 700 mg silicon/day established by the EVM for supplemental use and of 2500 mg calcium/day for adults established by the SCF, the exposure to calcium and to silicon resulting from the proposed uses of calcium silicate as a source of respectively silicon and calcium in food supplements, the use of calcium silicate in food supplements at the proposed use levels is of no safety concern, provided that it complies with the specifications for its use as a food additive. The Panel also concludes that the use of silicon dioxide up to 1500 mg SiO2/day (equal to 700 mg/day) and of silicic acid gel to supply up to 200 mg silicon/day, added to food supplements, is of no safety concern.