About
Minerals are essential inorganic micronutrients — including calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, iodine, potassium, selenium, copper, and others — added to food to restore nutrients lost during processing or to fortify the diet. They are used in supplements, fortified staple foods, infant formulas, and functional foods to support bone health, enzyme function, fluid balance, and numerous other physiological processes.
Safety summary
At typical dietary intake levels, food-grade minerals are broadly safe for the general adult population and are GRAS or approved under positive-list frameworks globally. However, excessive supplemental intake can cause adverse effects — for example, excess iron causes gastrointestinal toxicity, excess iodine disrupts thyroid function, and excess calcium above 2,500 mg/day is associated with hypercalcemia. EFSA and the SCF have established Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (ULs) for most minerals to guide safe maximum intake across different population groups.
Regulatory landscape
| Jurisdiction | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand) (Australia) | Approved | Minerals permitted as nutritive substances under Standard 1.1.1 and Schedule 1 of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. Specific permitted forms and maximum addition levels are listed per food category.source |
| EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union) | Approved | Permitted mineral sources for food supplements are governed by Directive 2002/46/EC. Addition to fortified foods is governed by Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006. EFSA's NDA Panel has established mineral-specific Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (ULs); e.g., Calcium UL = 2,500 mg/day for adults; Iodine UL = 600 µg/day for adults; Boron UL = 10 mg/day for adults. No UL established for iron, chromium, or chloride due to insufficient data.source |
| FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India) | Approved | Minerals are classified as 'nutrient ingredients' under Schedule I of the FSS (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Foods for Special Dietary Use, Foods for Special Medical Purpose, Functional Foods and Novel Foods) Regulations, 2016. Addition levels in health supplements must not exceed one RDA as specified by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Fortification of staple foods (atta, rice, milk, oil) with specific minerals (iron, iodine) is mandated under the FSS (Fortification of Foods) Regulations, 2016.source |
| FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States) |
Who should approach with care
Research citations
- 1FDA. Food Additives and GRAS Ingredients – Information for Consumers. fda.gov
- 2EFSA. Food Supplements – Vitamins and Minerals Topic Page, 2026. efsa.europa.eu
- 3EFSA. Overview on Tolerable Upper Intake Levels as derived by the SCF and NDA Panel – Summary Report 2024/2025, 2025. efsa.europa.eu
- 4EFSA. Guidance for establishing and applying tolerable upper intake levels for vitamins and essential minerals, 2024. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 5FSSAI. Food Safety and Standards (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Food for Special Dietary Use, Food for Special Medical Purpose, Functional Food and Novel Food) Regulations – Compendium Version I, 2021. fssai.gov.in
- 6PubMed. European Regulatory Framework and Safety Assessment of Food-Related Bioactive Compounds, 2020.
