title: Estimating safe maximum levels of vitamins and minerals in fortified foods and food supplements.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To show how safe maximum levels (SML) of vitamins and minerals in fortified foods and supplements may be estimated in population subgroups.
  
  
  METHODS
  SML were estimated for adults and 7- to 10-year-old children for six nutrients (retinol, vitamins B6, D and E, folic acid, iron and calcium) using data on usual daily nutrient intakes from Irish national nutrition surveys.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SML of nutrients in supplements were lower for children than for adults, except for calcium and iron. Daily energy intake from fortified foods in high consumers (95th percentile) varied by nutrient from 138 to 342 kcal in adults and 40-309 kcal in children. SML (/100 kcal) of nutrients in fortified food were lower for children than adults for vitamins B6 and D, higher for vitamin E, with little difference for other nutrients. Including 25 % 'overage' for nutrients in fortified foods and supplements had little effect on SML. Nutritionally significant amounts of these nutrients can be added safely to supplements and fortified foods for these population subgroups. The estimated SML of nutrients in fortified foods and supplements may be considered safe for these population subgroups over the long term given the food composition and dietary patterns prevailing in the respective dietary surveys.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This risk assessment approach shows how nutrient intake data may be used to estimate, for population subgroups, the SML for vitamins and minerals in both fortified foods and supplements, separately, each taking into account the intake from other dietary sources.
authors: School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. a.flynn@ucc.ie.
authors: Albert
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7072-4202
authors: A
authors: Flynn
authors: School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Kehoe
authors: School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
authors: Áine
authors: Á
authors: Hennessy
authors: School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
authors: Janette
authors: J
authors: Walton
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005504:Food Analysis; D005527:Food, Fortified / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D064167:Recommended Dietary Allowances; D018570:Risk Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis*; D014815:Vitamins / Q000032:analysis*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014131:Trace Elements; D014815:Vitamins
keywords: Fortified foods; Irish national nutrition surveys; Minerals; Safe maximum levels; Supplements; Vitamins