Consultation Kicks Off on Europe’s Thiamin Recommendations

06 Oct 2016 --- The European Food Safety Authority's draft document on thiamin, vitamin B1, is now open for public consultation as a panel prepares its scientific opinion on the vital nutrient which helps maintain healthy nervous and cardiovascular systems.

Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) was asked to deliver a Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for European, including thiamin (vitamin B1).

The draft document proposes dietary reference values for thiamin for adults, children, infants, pregnant and lactating women. 

“In the absence of new scientific evidence, the Panel endorses the Average Requirement (AR) of 0.072 mg/MJ (0.3 mg/1,000 kcal) for all adults proposed by the Scientific Committee for Food 20 (SCF) in 1993 on the basis of one depletion–repletion study, in which both αETK and urinary thiamin excretion were measured,” says the draft.

“Results from other depletion–repletion studies are in agreement with this value. The Panel agrees on the coefficient of variation of 20 percent used by the SCF to cover uncertainties related to distribution of thiamin requirements in the general population, and endorses the Population Reference Intake (PRI) of 0.1 mg/MJ (0.4 mg/1,000 kcal) set by the SCF for all adults.”

“The same AR and PRI as for adults, expressed in mg/MJ, are proposed for infants aged 7 to 25 11 months, children aged 1 to 18 years, and during pregnancy and lactation, under the assumption that the relationship between thiamin requirement and energy requirement is the same in all population groups.”

Thiamin deficiency leads to disorders that include several forms of beriberi, with mostly neurological and cardiovascular manifestations. 

Interested parties have until November 9, 2016 to submit written comments about the EFSA draft document.