INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMME ON CHEMICAL SAFETY

    WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION



    TOXICOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF SOME
    FOOD COLOURS, EMULSIFIERS, STABILIZERS,
    ANTI-CAKING AGENTS AND CERTAIN
    OTHER SUBSTANCES



    FAO Nutrition Meetings Report Series 
    No. 46A WHO/FOOD ADD/70.36




    The content of this document is the result of the deliberations of the
    Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives which met in Rome,
    27 May - 4 June 19691





    Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

    World Health Organization



                   
    1 Thirteenth report of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food
    Additives, FAO Nutrition Meetings Report Series, in press;
    Wld Hlth Org. techn.  Rep. Ser., in press.


    STARCH SODIUM SUCCINATE

    Modification is performed by 4 per cent. succinic anhydride to form
    the succinic acid ester. The extent of esterification is not known.
    The material used in the tests described below was prepared in the
    laboratory, where a high reaction efficiency (80 per cent., or 3.2 per
    cent. of succinic anhydride reacted, a degree of substitution of about
    0.05) may have been attained.

    Biological Data

    Biochemical aspects

    No enzymatic hydrolysis data about in vitro behaviour are available.
    Caloric value was determined in groups of 10 male rats fed for 4 weeks
    a basal diet supplemented with either starch, starch succinate or
    sucrose, the last in graded amounts. All rats were normally active and
    remained healthy. The caloric equivalent of the starch ester, as
    determined from comparison with the dose response curve for sucrose at
    0, 0.75 g, 1.5 g, 3.0 g and 4.5 g (equivalent to 0, 3, 6, 12 and 18
    calories per day), was identical with that of native starch (Carson,
    1960).

    Acute toxicity

    None available.

    Short-term studies

    Rat. Groups of 3 male and 3 female rats were fed for 10 weeks on
    diets containing 70 per cent. of starch or starch sodium succinate as
    their sole source of carbohydrate. Groups were fed ad lib and also
    pair-fed. No significant differences were observed in growth rates,
    feed efficiency or haemoglobin levels between the various groups. No
    histopathological examinations were reported (Oser, 1945).

    Long-term studies

    None available.

    Comments

    The biological data for this starch ester are inadequate. Adequate
    metabolic studies preferably in man are desirable and 90-day studies
    in at least two species (one a non-rodent mammal) on material of known
    degree of substitution are required.

    EVALUATION

    Not possible on the data available.

    REFERENCES

    Carson, S., (1960) Unpublished report by Food and Drug Research
    Laboratories Inc., No. 80878c-e, 1 December 1960.

    Oser, B. L., (1945) Unpublished report by Food Research Laboratories
    Inc., No. 39989-92, 15 February 1945.
    

    See Also:
       Toxicological Abbreviations
       Starch sodium succinate (WHO Food Additives Series 5)
       STARCH SODIUM SUCCINATE (JECFA Evaluation)