Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) is an international scientific expert committee that is administered jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). It has been meeting since 1956, initially to evaluate the safety of food additives. Its work now also includes the evaluation of contaminants, naturally occurring toxicants and residues of veterinary drugs in food.

JECFA Reports

These reports contain concise toxicological evaluations and the chemical and analytical aspects of each substance reviewed by JECFA, as well as information on the intake assessment. In addition, the reports also contain general considerations relating to the procedures applied by JECFA. More detailed information on the data used in the evaluations can be found in the WHO food additive series (FAS).

To locate the most up-to-date evaluation and the corresponding TRS for a specific chemical, please use the database of evaluation summaries.

List of publications

Specifications for identity and purity of food additives (food colours) (Fourth report of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives). These specifications were subsequently revised and published as Specifications for identity and purity of food additives, Vol. II. Food colours, Rome, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 1963 (out of print).

Specifications for identity and purity of food additives (antimicrobial preservatives and antioxidants) (Third report of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives). These specifications were subsequently revised and published as Specifications for identity and purity of food additives, Vol. I. Antimicrobial preservatives and antioxidants, Rome, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 1962 (out of print).