About
What it is and where it shows up.
Manganese is an essential trace mineral naturally present in many foods, required as a cofactor for numerous enzymes involved in bone formation, amino acid metabolism, and antioxidant defense (as part of manganese superoxide dismutase). It is added to foods, dietary supplements, and fortified products to prevent or correct nutritional deficiency.
Safety summary
The regulatory and scientific consensus.
At normal dietary intakes, manganese is considered safe for the general adult population and has GRAS status in the US under 21 CFR 184.1446. Chronic overexposure—primarily through occupational inhalation rather than food—can cause manganism, a neurodegenerative condition resembling Parkinson's disease. No formal ADI has been established for dietary manganese, but tolerable upper intake levels (ULs) have been set by various authorities to limit risk from supplemental or fortified sources.
Regulatory landscape
What food-safety regulators have decided.
| Jurisdiction | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand) (Australia) | Approved | Manganese is a permitted nutrient in foods for special medical purposes and dietary supplements under FSANZ Food Standards Code. Adequate Intake (AI) for adults is 5.5 mg/day (men) and 5.0 mg/day (women); no UL formally established.source |
| EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union) | Approved | Manganese is an approved essential nutrient for use in food supplements and fortified foods under Directive 2002/46/EC and Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006. EFSA set an Adequate Intake (AI) of 3 mg/day for adults. No formal UL established due to insufficient data; tolerable intake guidance varies by member state. Manganese compounds are also authorised as nutritional feed additives for animal species under Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003.source |
| FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India) | Approved | Manganese is permitted as a micronutrient in health supplements and nutraceuticals under the FSS (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Foods for Special Dietary Use, Foods for Special Medical Purpose, Functional Foods and Novel Food) Regulations. Quantity of nutrients added shall not exceed the recommended daily allowance specified by ICMR, or Codex/WHO guidelines if ICMR values are unavailable.source |
| FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States) | Approved | Manganese salts (e.g., manganese chloride, manganese gluconate, manganese sulfate, manganese citrate) are affirmed GRAS as direct human food ingredients under 21 CFR 184.1446 for use as nutrient supplements. Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) set at 11 mg/day for adults by the National Academies (Institute of Medicine, 2001). |
Who should approach with care
Whose guidance would steer them away.
Infants — Infants, particularly those on parenteral nutrition or formula, may be at higher risk of manganese accumulation due to immature biliary excretion and higher intestinal absorption; intake from supplemental or fortified sources should be carefully controlled per EFSA and IOM guidance.
Liver Disease — Manganese is excreted primarily via bile; individuals with liver disease or cholestasis may accumulate manganese to toxic levels even at normal dietary intakes, increasing neurological risk.
Kidney Disease — Patients on long-term parenteral nutrition with renal impairment may be unable to adequately excrete manganese, increasing the risk of manganese accumulation and neurotoxicity.
Children — Children absorb more manganese per body weight than adults and may be more susceptible to neurodevelopmental effects from elevated intakes via supplements or heavily fortified foods, as noted in IOM and EFSA dietary reference value reviews.
Pregnancy — High supplemental manganese intake during pregnancy has been associated with foetal and reproductive toxicity in animal studies (as cited in clinical pharmacology literature), and pregnant women should not exceed established ULs from supplemental sources.
Research citations
The sources behind this verdict.
- 1FDA. Code of Federal Regulations Title 21, Part 184.1446 – Manganese Chloride, Manganese Gluconate, Manganese Sulfate. ecfr.gov
- 2PubMed. Manganese and the Brain – Aschner M et al., International Review of Neurobiology, 2017. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 3EFSA. Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for Manganese – EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA), 2013. efsa.europa.eu
- 4other. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc – Institute of Medicine (US), 2001. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 5WHO. Trace Elements in Human Nutrition and Health – WHO/FAO Expert Consultation, 1996. who.int
Independently researched5 citations