EFSA Proposes Fluoride and Molybdenum Intake Requirements
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has proposed adequate intake
(AI) levels for fluoride and molybdenum as part of its effort to provide dietary
reference values (DRVs) for micronutrients, including vitamin C, folate, iron,
zinc, calcium, and iodine. Finalized by EFSA’s Panel on Dietetic Products,
Nutrition and Allergies (NDA Panel) after a public consultation, the proposed
AI for fluoride is 0.05 mg/kg body weight per day “for children aged 7 months
to 17 years as well as adults, including pregnant and lactating women,” and
the proposed AI for molybdenum is 65 micrograms per day for all adults and
10-65 micrograms per day for infants, children and adolescents.
According to EFSA, the NDA Panel has already proposed DRVs for energy,
macronutrients—protein, fats and carbohydrates—dietary fiber, and water. In
turn, such DRVs are used “to establish reference values for nutrition labeling,
for the assessment and planning of diets and for developing food-based
dietary guidelines.” The European Commission has asked EFSA to update its
previous advice in these areas, “taking into account new scientific evidence
and recent recommendations issued at [the] national and international level.”
See EFSA News Story, August 8, 2013.
