Dietary exposure assessment of 9 food emulsifiers to Korean population and their health effects

In this study, dietary exposures to 9 food emulsifiers, including 4 polysorbates and 5 esters of fatty acids, were assessed in Korean population. For the exposure assessment, three scenarios of the consumption, including mean and P95 in whole population and mean in consumed population, were applied. As a result, the EDIs of 9 emulsifiers were overall low compared to the ADIs. The total EDI to polysorbates was 1.72 % of the ADI in whole population. Exposures to polysorbate 20, 60, 65, and 80 were 0.02, 1.14, 0.39, and 0.29 % of the ADIs in whole population, respectively. Exposures to 5 esters of fatty acids were ranged from 0.57 to 6.13 % of the ADIs in whole population. In conclusion, it is considered that there are no safety concerns regarding the current consumption of the food emulsifiers. However, considering the change of food consumption, use levels, and health-based guidance values, periodic re-evaluation is necessary.