Minerals (Food-Grade)

About

What it is and where it shows up.

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

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

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

What food-safety regulators have decided.

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

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Kidney Disease — Impaired renal clearance can cause dangerous accumulation of minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium; supplemental minerals should be strictly avoided unless prescribed by a nephrologist.

Heart Disease — Excess sodium and potassium can disrupt cardiac electrolyte balance and blood pressure; mineral supplement use should be reviewed by a cardiologist.

Hypertension — High sodium intake is well-established as a driver of elevated blood pressure; individuals with hypertension should monitor total sodium from all sources including fortified foods.

Thyroid Disease — Excess iodine (above EFSA UL of 600 µg/day for adults) can exacerbate both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism; individuals with thyroid conditions should consult a physician before using iodine-containing supplements.

Infants — FSSAI nutraceutical regulations explicitly exclude infants under 24 months; mineral supplementation for this group must comply with dedicated infant formula standards and be undertaken only under medical advice.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

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.

Independently researched6 citations