EFSA Preliminary Assessment Finds Chromium Picolinate Safe As Food Ingredient

The European Food Safety Authority has issued a preliminary safety assessment of chromium picolinate, saying that the compound is safe for use as an ingredient in foods marketed in European Union member states. Formal approval will probably come in 2011, according to food supplement ingredients producer, N.Y.-based Nutrition 21, Inc., which sells a chromium picolinate product known as Chromax. The EFSA safety review was prompted by the company’s application to market Chromax as a food ingredient in Europe. EFSA’s assessment concluded that chromium picolinate “has a large margin of safety supporting its use as a source of chromium up to the maximum level established by the World Health Organization (WHO),” according to the company.