Bentonite
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Description
Bentonite (E558) is a natural food additive classified in the 'other' category within the European Union's E-numbering system. It is a colloidal clay composed mainly of montmorillonite, a mineral from the smectite group.
Its origin is geological: it forms from the alteration of volcanic ash in alkaline and humid environments. Industrially, bentonite is extracted from open-pit mines, dried, ground, and activated with sodium to improve its swelling and adsorption capacity. Key physicochemical properties include a high specific surface area (up to 800 m²/g), cation exchange capacity, and the ability to absorb water up to 12 times its weight, forming thixotropic gels. Its main function as a food additive is the clarification of wines, juices, and beers, where it adsorbs proteins and other colloidal particles that cause turbidity. It is also used as an anti-caking agent in powdered foods and as a suspending agent.
Bentonite has a long history of use in the food industry, especially in oenology, and was approved in the EU as a food additive in Directive 95/2/EC, currently regulated by Regulation (EC) 1333/2008. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has evaluated bentonite on several occasions, concluding that there are no safety concerns at current usage levels. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) have not established a numerical Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI), as exposure is low and no adverse effects are expected.
The overall safety assessment is very favorable: bentonite is considered a safe additive, non-toxic, not absorbable by the gastrointestinal tract, and without systemic effects. On labels, it must appear as 'bentonite' or 'E558' in the ingredient list.
It is important to note that bentonite used in food must meet purity specifications that limit heavy metals and arsenic.
Bentonite (E558) is mainly used as a clarifying agent in the wine, beer, and juice industries.
In Spain, it is commonly found in white and red wines to remove unstable proteins and improve clarity. It is also used as an anti-caking agent in salts, spices, soup mixes, and other powdered products. According to Regulation (EC) 1333/2008, bentonite is authorized without specific quantitative limits (quantum satis) in most applications, meaning it is used according to good manufacturing practices. In the wine category, the typical dose is 10-50 g/hL.
Compared to the FDA, bentonite is recognized as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) in the United States for similar uses. Japan also permits it as a food additive. There are no significant differences in authorized limits between these regions, as all are based on the principle of necessary and safe use.
No significant adverse side effects have been documented associated with the consumption of bentonite as a food additive. EFSA and JECFA have evaluated bentonite and conclude that there is no evidence of acute, subchronic, or chronic toxicity. Bentonite is not absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract; it acts locally by adsorbing substances and is excreted unchanged in feces. No allergic reactions or intolerances have been reported.
In animal studies, very high doses (above 5000 mg/kg body weight) caused no adverse effects. No specific sensitive populations have been identified. No interactions with medications are known, although theoretically it could adsorb some drugs if ingested simultaneously, but this has not been documented in practice at the doses used in foods.
The conclusion of EFSA and WHO is that bentonite is safe under current conditions of use, without the need to establish a numerical ADI.
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