ABSTRACT
The US Food and Drug Administration considers the orthophosphoric and polyphosphoric acids and their calcium, potassium, sodium, and ammonium salts as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS). Lehman referred to the work of Gosselin and co-workers, and Mitchell as evidence that the straight-chain polymeric phosphates are hydrolyzed to orthophosphate. This work is used as the basis for the GRAS status of these food additives. Based on the same references, Lehman stated that the cyclic metaphosphates may not be safe food additives. The metaphosphates must first be hydrolyzed to tripolyphosphate and next to orthophosphate, which then can be absorbed. It would thus appear that the use of the cyclic phosphates in foods would be no more, or even less, toxic than any other condensed phosphate. No tolerance levels or limitations are listed, other than that the quantity of the substance added to the food must not exceed the amount required to accomplish its intended purpose.
