Risk assessment of "other substances" – Piperine. Opinion of the Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids, Materials in Contact with Food and Cosmetics of the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety

Abstract

The Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety (VKM) has, at the request of the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, assessed the risk of intake of 1.5 mg/day of piperine ((E,E)-piperine) in food supplements. Piperine is a naturally occurring alkaloid which is the major pungent compound found in spices like black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) and long peppers (Piper longum L.). Using the MOE approach, for a daily intake of 1.5 mg piperine from food supplements and a NOAEL of 5 mg/kg bw per day based on a 90-day toxicity study in rats, the MOE values are 145, 204 and 234 for children (10 to <14 years), adolescents (14 to <18 years) and adults (≥18 years), respectively. Thus, the MOE values are above 100 for all age groups. VKM concludes that it is unlikely that a daily dose of 1.5 mg piperine from food supplements causes adverse health effects in children (10 to <14 years), adolescents (14 to <18 years) and adults (≥18 years).