Assessment of animal substances found in food

The term ‘animal substances’ covers a wide range of very different substances that have only one thing in common – they are of animal origin.

Examples of animal substances that occur in food or are used in food are

• Gelatine – obtained from the connective tissue, such as skin and bones, of animals
• Carmine – obtained from the females of the cochineal insect and used as a colourant (E 120)
• Beeswax – release and coating agent E 901, bee secretion.

Animal substances are used in the food industry:

• as ingredients (e.g. thickening agents),
• as additives (e.g. colouring agents)

Animal substances are also used in food supplements and are advertised there for their special properties. One example of this is chitosan, which is obtained from chitin and is marketed for its fat-binding properties.

If animal substances are added to food, they must comply with the applicable food law provisions. In certain cases, the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment assesses whether risks to the health of consumers arise from the use of animal substances in food supplements or for the fortification of food.