Ferrous phosphate added for nutritional purposes to food supplements

The petitioners indicated that the quantity of ferrous phosphate used in multivitamin-mineral tablets would normally supply 14 mg iron/day. This is equivalent to 42 mg ferrous phosphate/day and 5.2 mg phosphorus/day. This means that for a 60 kg adult the potential exposure to iron(II) would be 0.23 mg iron/kg bw/day and to phosphorus 0.09 mg phosphorus/kg bw/day respectively. For guidance purposes only, the UK Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals (EVM) indicated that a supplemental intake of approximately 17 mg iron/day (equivalent to 0.28 mg iron/kg bw/day for a 60 kg adult) would not be expected to produce adverse effects in the majority of people. The Panel notes that the quantity of 14 mg iron/day as proposed by the petitioners for use in multivitamin-mineral tablets is below this guidance value. No specific data are available regarding the bioavailability of iron from ferrous phosphate as a mineral substance in food supplements. However, the Panel noted that iron salts are made soluble in the acidic environment of the stomach and that iron must be in the ferrous form for absorption. Therefore, the Panel considers that iron is bioavailable from the source considered in this opinion. The Panel is further of the opinion that, given the previous evaluations of ferrous iron, phosphoric acid and phosphates as food additives and as nutrient sources by the Scientific Committee on Food (SCF), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) no additional toxicological studies on ferrous phosphate as source of iron are required. The Panel therefore concludes that the use of ferrous phosphate in food supplements as a source of iron(II) is not of safety concern at the proposed use levels.