About
'Culinary paste' is a broad food-industry category descriptor, not a single regulated ingredient; it encompasses a wide range of semi-solid cooking preparations (e.g., tomato paste, miso, curry paste, herb paste, bouillon paste) that are used to add flavour, colour, or texture to food. No single chemical identity, CAS number, INS/E-number, or unified regulatory dossier exists for this term.
Safety summary
Safety cannot be generalised across all culinary pastes because each distinct product (tomato paste, miso, chilli paste, etc.) has its own ingredient composition, additives, sodium content, and potential allergens. No IARC classification, ADI, or unified WHO/EFSA/FDA risk assessment exists for 'culinary paste' as a class. Consumers should review the label of the specific paste product for its individual ingredients, additives, and allergen declarations.
Research citations
- 1FDA. Determining the Regulatory Status of a Food Ingredient. fda.gov
- 2FDA. Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) — FDA HFP Inventory. hfpappexternal.fda.gov
- 3WHO. Class Names and the International Numbering System for Food Additives (CAC/GL 36-1989, revised 2015), 2015. fao.org