BfR
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Annual Report 2014
32
Aluminium quantities that are safe to health
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has derived 1 milligramme
(mg) of aluminium per kilogramme (kg) of body weight and week as the
value for a tolerable weekly intake (TWI). This health based guidance
value indicates the amount of aluminium a person can ingest orally every
week throughout their life without expecting any undesired health effects.
The EFSA assumes a mean oral bioavailability of 0.1 percent (%) for alu-
minium compounds from food. Using this value, the TWI can be convert-
ed to a systemic dose of 0.143 micrograms (μg) per kilogramme of body
weight. This gives the daily tolerable quantity of aluminium available to
the body. This means that systemically available doses up to 8.6 µg per
day are regarded as safe for a person weighing 60 kg.
As consumers do not ingest aluminium from only one source, however,
the BfR assessed the estimated aluminium intake from various sourc-
es in 2014 with the result that consumers already ingest the tolerable
weekly quantity of aluminium from their food. Every additional long-term
intake has the result that the TWI is permanently exceeded. There is
therefore no leeway for additional aluminium intake from other sources.
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As consumers do not ingest aluminium from only
one source, however, the BfR assessed the estimated
aluminium intake from various sources in 2014.
In the past, the food control authorities of the federal states have regularly determined increased aluminium levels in lye
bakery wares. The reason for this could be the use of uncoated aluminium trays in the production of lye pretzel products.
