Contaminants in dietary supplements and licensed medicinal products

Citation

Jukes, D. (1999), "Contaminants in dietary supplements and licensed medicinal products", British Food Journal, Vol. 101 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/bfj.1999.070101aab.006

Contaminants in dietary supplements and licensed medicinal products

Contaminants in dietary supplements and licensed medicinal products

Results from a survey of metals and other elements in a wide range of dietary supplements and licensed medicinal products on sale in the UK do not raise any new health concerns for consumer safety. Seven of the dietary supplements tested contained lead and/or arsenic at concentrations above the general legal limits for these contaminants in food. The manufacturers of these products have been asked to investigate these elevated levels and to ensure the levels are reduced.

There are, however, no significant health risks to consumers as their exposures to lead and arsenic from products at their recommended dosages are small compared with exposures to these elements from the normal diet and well below maximum safety limits.

The results from the survey are published in the November edition of the <IT>Food Safety Information Bulletin</IT>. The survey also included some zinc supplements. The independent advisory Committee on Toxicity Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) considered intakes of zinc in the UK diet in 1995 and concluded that supplementing the diet with zinc preparations is unnecessary and unwise, unless there is good evidence of deficiency. This is because excessive levels may result in anaemia.

The need for additional controls on individual nutrients such as zinc in dietary supplements will be considered in the light of the recommendations of the independent Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals.

The survey was carried out by the MAFF/DH Joint Food Safety and Standards Group (JFSSG) and tested a total of 100 different products for the following 29 metals and other elements: aluminium, antimony, arsenic, barium, bismuth, boron, cadmium, calcium, chromium, cobalt, copper, germanium, gold, iron, lead, lithium, magnesium, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, silver, sodium, strontium, thallium and zinc.

This survey was carried out because previous investigations have shown that some dietary supplements can contain elevated levels of metals and other elements including some, such as lead, which can be harmful if intakes are excessive.

The need for maximum limits for zinc and other nutrients in dietary supplements is to be considered by the independent Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals.