13th Meeting of the Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals, 2 - 3 October 2001

Monday 11 March 2002

The Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals held its 13th meeting on 2 - 3 October 2001. The following items were discussed:

(1) Minutes of the previous meeting

The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed. Copies of these minutes are available from the Secretariat or on the Expert Group page of the Food Standards Agency website (www.food.gov.uk).

(2) Review of Phosphorus

The review of phosphorus was sent to the Group for comments before the meeting. Additional information was received by correspondence and has been included in the paper discussed at this meeting.

(3) Risk Assessments

The Group reviewed 36 nutrients. Where appropriate, safe upper levels were proposed for 26 of them. Where this was not possible, guidance levels for maximum intake were suggested.

The Group also agreed that statements for sulphur and fluoride would be issued to explain that it was not possible to assess sulphur and that consideration of fluoride as a dietary supplement was not within its terms of reference.

The proposed levels for the remaining 34 vitamins and minerals will be issued by the Food Standards Agency for public consultation early 2002 with a view to the Group publishing its final report later that year.

The Group requested additional data or more detailed revisions for eight of the reviews/risk assessments. The following papers will be re-drafted and the risk assessments discussed at the next meeting:

Copper
Vitamin B6
Iron
Iodine
Chromium
Thiamin
Niacin
Vanadium

(5) Date of next meeting

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 19 December 2001 in conference room 4 at the Food Standards Agency, Aviation House, 125 Kingsway, London WC2B.