Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) Reference

EFSA-evaluated acceptable daily intake (ADI) limits for 44 food additives, compiled from European Food Safety Authority opinions and FDA guidance. ADI values indicate how much of an additive can be safely consumed per day over a lifetime; see our methodology for sources and caveats.

Health Information Notice

ADI values are from EFSA evaluations and are for informational purposes only. Individual dietary needs vary. Consult a healthcare professional for personalized dietary guidance.

How to Read ADI Values

ADI is expressed in mg per kg of body weight per day. For example, an ADI of 5 mg/kg bw/day means a 70 kg (154 lb) adult can safely consume up to 350 mg daily. Multiply the ADI by your weight in kg to find your personal daily limit.

Antioxidant

Additive	ADI (mg/kg bw/day)	Safety	Common Uses
Erythorbic Acid	6	4 · Low Risk	Oils, fats, processed foods, baked goods
Sodium Erythorbate	6	4 · Low Risk	Oils, fats, processed foods, baked goods

Color Additive

Additive	ADI (mg/kg bw/day)	Safety	Common Uses
Ammonia Caramel	100	3 · Mixed	Processed foods, beverages, confectionery
Blue 2 (Indigo Carmine)	5	2 · Caution	Candy, baked goods, cereal
Brilliant Black Bn	5	4 · Low Risk	Processed foods, beverages, confectionery
Caustic Sulphite Caramel	300	4 · Low Risk	Processed foods, beverages, confectionery
Indigotine	5	4 · Low Risk	Processed foods, beverages, confectionery
Plain Caramel	300 #not the ADI of E150a alone but an ADI shared by the four E150-a,b,c,d-	4 · Low Risk	Processed foods, beverages, confectionery
Sulphite Ammonia Caramel	300	4 · Low Risk	Processed foods, beverages, confectionery

Emulsifier

Additive	ADI (mg/kg bw/day)	Safety	Common Uses
Calcium Stearoyl-2-Lactylate	22	2 · Caution	Sauces, dressings, baked goods, ice cream
Polyoxyethylene Sorbitan Monolaurate	25	3 · Mixed	Sauces, dressings, baked goods, ice cream
Polyoxyethylene Sorbitan Monooleate	25	3 · Mixed	Sauces, dressings, baked goods, ice cream
Polyoxyethylene Sorbitan Monopalmitate	25	3 · Mixed	Sauces, dressings, baked goods, ice cream
Polyoxyethylene Sorbitan Monostearate	25	3 · Mixed	Sauces, dressings, baked goods, ice cream
Polyoxyethylene Sorbitan Tristearate	25	3 · Mixed	Sauces, dressings, baked goods, ice cream
Polysorbate 80	25	3 · Mixed	Ice cream, salad dressing, vitamins
Processed Eucheuma Seaweed	75	2 · Caution	Sauces, dressings, baked goods, ice cream
Sodium Stearoyl-2-Lactylate	22	2 · Caution	Sauces, dressings, baked goods, ice cream
Sorbitan Monostearate	26	2 · Caution	Sauces, dressings, baked goods, ice cream
Sucrose Esters Of Fatty Acids	40	2 · Caution	Sauces, dressings, baked goods, ice cream

Food Additive

Additive	ADI (mg/kg bw/day)	Safety	Common Uses
Calcium Bisulphite	0.7	2 · Caution	Various processed foods
Calcium Sulphite	0.7	2 · Caution	Various processed foods
Patent Blue V	5	3 · Mixed	Various processed foods
Potassium Bisulphite	0.7	2 · Caution	Various processed foods

Preservative

Additive	ADI (mg/kg bw/day)	Safety	Common Uses
Benzoic Acid	5	2 · Caution	Processed foods, baked goods, beverages
Calcium Benzoate	5	2 · Caution	Processed foods, baked goods, beverages
Potassium Benzoate	5	2 · Caution	Processed foods, baked goods, beverages
Potassium Metabisulphite	0.7	2 · Caution	Processed foods, baked goods, beverages
Potassium Nitrate	3.7	2 · Caution	Processed foods, baked goods, beverages
Potassium Sorbate	3	5 · Safe	Wine, cheese, baked goods, dried fruits
Sodium Benzoate	5	3 · Mixed	Soda, fruit juice, pickles, salad dressing
Sodium Bisulphite	0.7	2 · Caution	Processed foods, baked goods, beverages
Sodium Metabisulfite	0.7	3 · Mixed	Wine, dried fruits, shrimp
Sodium Metabisulphite	0.7	2 · Caution	Processed foods, baked goods, beverages
Sodium Nitrate	3.7	2 · Caution	Processed foods, baked goods, beverages
Sodium Sulphite	0.7	2 · Caution	Processed foods, baked goods, beverages
Sorbic Acid	3	5 · Safe	Cheese, wine, baked goods
Sulphur Dioxide	0.7	2 · Caution	Processed foods, baked goods, beverages

Processing Aid

Additive	ADI (mg/kg bw/day)	Safety	Common Uses
Propylene Glycol	25	4 · Low Risk	Ice cream, flavoring extracts, cake mixes

Sweetener

Additive	ADI (mg/kg bw/day)	Safety	Common Uses
Aspartame	40	3 · Mixed	Diet soda, sugar-free gum, yogurt, tabletop sweeteners
Stevia (Steviol Glycosides)	4	5 · Safe	Beverages, yogurt, baked goods, tabletop sweeteners
Steviol Glycosides	4	3 · Mixed	Beverages, confectionery, baked goods

Thickener

Additive	ADI (mg/kg bw/day)	Safety	Common Uses
Beta-Cyclodextrine	5	2 · Caution	Sauces, soups, dairy products, baked goods
Carrageenan	75	3 · Mixed	Almond milk, ice cream, yogurt, deli meats

Understanding Acceptable Daily Intake

The Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) is the cornerstone of food additive safety evaluation. Established by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), ADI values represent the amount of a substance that can be consumed every day for a lifetime without appreciable health risk.

ADI values are derived from the most sensitive toxicological endpoint observed in animal studies. The No Observed Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL) — the highest dose at which no adverse effects are seen — is divided by a safety factor (typically 100) to account for species differences and human variability. This conservative approach means that actual harmful doses are usually far higher than the ADI.

Why ADI Matters for Consumers

While most people never consume enough of any single additive to approach the ADI, certain populations may be at higher risk of exceeding safe limits. Children, because of their lower body weight, can reach ADI thresholds more quickly. People who consume large quantities of processed foods containing multiple additives may also have higher cumulative exposure.

EFSA periodically re-evaluates ADI values as new scientific evidence emerges. Recent re-evaluations have led to reduced ADIs for some additives, including certain food colorings, as more refined toxicological data becomes available.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI)?

ADI is the amount of a food additive that can be consumed daily over a lifetime without appreciable health risk. It is expressed in milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day (mg/kg bw/day). ADI values are set by safety authorities like EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) after reviewing toxicological studies.

How is ADI calculated?

ADI is typically derived by dividing the No Observed Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL) from animal studies by a safety factor of 100. This safety factor accounts for differences between species (factor of 10) and variation within the human population (factor of 10). Some additives use additional safety factors if data is limited.

Does exceeding the ADI mean immediate harm?

No. The ADI is designed with large safety margins. Occasionally exceeding the ADI is not expected to cause health effects. The ADI represents the level that is safe for daily consumption over an entire lifetime. Concern arises when ADI is consistently exceeded over long periods.

Why do some additives show "Not specified" for ADI?

When EFSA assigns "ADI not specified" or "Not limited," it means the additive is considered so safe at current usage levels that setting a numerical limit is unnecessary. This is typically reserved for substances with very low toxicity or those that are natural components of food.

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