Safety evaluation of pectin‐rich extract derived from Coffea arabica as food additive

TL;DR

This paper evaluates the safety of a pectin-rich extract from coffee as a food additive and concludes it is safe for use.

Contribution

The study provides a safety assessment of a new food additive derived from Coffea arabica using QSAR analysis and toxicity studies.

Findings

Pectins are not absorbed intact and are fermented by gut microbiota without adverse effects.

No safety concerns were identified for substances like caffeine and chlorogenic acid at proposed use levels.

The Panel concluded the additive is safe without needing a defined acceptable daily intake.

Abstract

The EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings (FAF Panel) provides a scientific opinion on the safety assessment of the proposed use of pectin rich extract derived from Coffea arabica L. as a food additive. The proposed food additive consists of 70%–85% dietary fibres (of which the major part is pectin), 4%–6.5% proteins and substances of potential concern including caffeine, chlorogenic acid, ■■■■■, caffeic acid, ■■■■■, trigonelline. The Panel integrated all available information including existing EFSA evaluations on pectins, coffee fruit pulp, and conducted a new quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) analysis for the substances of potential concern. Studies from literature confirmed that the pectins are not absorbed intact but extensively fermented by intestinal microbiota. No adverse effects were reported in two 90‐day toxicity studies in rats up to 7.8 g/kg body weight (bw) per day and in one human study on sugar beet pectin at 0.2 g/kg bw per day for 4 weeks. The calculated MOE for ■■■■■ indicated that there is a low concern from a public health point of view. The Panel considered that the exposure to caffeine, caffeic acid, ■■■■■, chlorogenic acid, ■■■■■ and trigonelline from use of the proposed food additive would contribute only to a minimal increase over existing dietary exposure and is not of safety concern. Considering the composition of the proposed food additive, the absence of genotoxic concern of its components and lack of adverse effects of the major component (i.e. pectins), the Panel considered that there was no need for a numerical acceptable daily intake. The Panel concluded that the use of pectin‐rich extract derived from Coffea arabica as a new food additive does not raise a safety concern at the proposed use and use levels.

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