ABSTRACT

Alkyl gallates are mainly used to protect fats, oils, and fat-containing food from rancidity that results from the formation of peroxides. Their use as antioxidant additives is regulated by legal authorities in a limited number of foods, with maximum limits in each case. The acceptable PG daily intake (ADI) recommended by the joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) is 0-1.4 mg of additive per kilogram body weight, and the maximum level recommended in foodstuffs is 200 mg/kg [1]. A recent reevaluation by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) of PG as food additive has concluded that it is not of safety concern at the current uses and use levels [2].