14. The 49th Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) evaluated a large number of food additives, including approximately 220 flavouring agents and aflatoxins B, G, and M. The summary report was distributed soon after the JECFAmeeting in June 1997.
15. A large number of flavouring agents were evaluated using the Procedure for the Safety Evaluation of Flavouring Agents that had been developed by the Committee; except for those that could not be evaluated until other chemically related substances were evaluated, no safety concerns were identified. Potency values (with uncertainty ranges) of aflatoxin B1 were estimated for individuals who carry the hepatitis B virus and for those who do not. Potential population risks using hypothetical standards were estimated for illustrative purposes. Specifications of identity and purity were prepared for 40 food additives and 173 flavouring agents. The JECFA Secretariat also highlighted the risk assessment policy decisions made at the forty-ninth meeting of the Committee.
