Parma, 12 June 2024
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has set new safe levels for iron intake for different age groups in a scientific assessment published today. These reference values will help policymakers and health professionals protect European consumers.
Iron is an essential mineral needed by our bodies for oxygen transport, electron transfer, and energy metabolism. However, consuming excessive amounts of iron over long periods of time can lead to negative health effects, mainly in the liver. High-dose iron supplements may also cause adverse effects in the gastrointestinal tract.
The new scientific opinion follows a request from the European Commission to EFSA to review its previous opinion from 2004 based on newly available evidence.
Due to insufficient data, EFSA’s Panel could not establish a tolerable upper intake level for iron, a maximum intake level that can be consumed daily over a lifetime without adverse health effects.
Instead, our scientists established safe levels, the maximum amount that they can confidently conclude poses no risk of adverse effects in the general population.
Safe Levels
Our experts set safe levels for total iron intake:
- 40 mg/day for adults, including pregnant and lactating women;
- 35 mg/day for adolescents aged 15-17;
- 10 mg/day for children aged 1-3;
Safe supplemental iron intake level (excluding intakes from follow-on formula)
- 5 mg/day for infants, covering iron intakes from fortified food and food supplements, but not from infant or follow-on formula. A safe level of supplemental intake was derived for infants due to their particular and distinct iron requirements.
- The safe levels of intake proposed do not apply to individuals who receive iron under medical supervision as a treatment for iron deficiency anaemia.
More details available in our Plain Language Summary.
Links for Science
The EU has one of the safest food systems in the world. But food safety incidents can always happen. If they do, the EU is prepared to react quickly with immediate action. Identifying the source of foodborne disease outbreaks is crucial and national authorities act to ensure consumers are protected.
Join us for this latest episode of EFSA’s podcast Science on the Menu to learn about the teams in place that respond to food safety incidents and how we stay prepared.
Source – EFSA sets safe levels for iron intake