Concerns being raised over long-term health risks caused by ingredients not widely used or fully studied, says academic
PETALING JAYA: A new wave of unreviewed food additives and novel ingredients – substances not widely used or fully studied – could be slipping into imported foods, said Universiti Teknologi Mara Food Science and Technology senior lecturer Dr Siti Aimi Sarah Zainal Abidin.
She said this has raised concerns over long-term health risks that current safety systems may struggle to detect.
She added that rapid innovation in food ingredients is outpacing existing regulatory frameworks, creating new challenges for both regulators and public health monitoring.
“From an academic perspective, the introduction of unreviewed additives and novel ingredients is a significant challenge to public health surveillance.”
While stressing that not all such ingredients are harmful, she warned of potential risks, including allergic reactions, cross-reactivity and diseases linked to bioaccumulation whereby substances build up in the body over time.
“However, clinical research takes a long time before any firm conclusions can be made.”
She was commenting on concerns raised by the Consumers Association of Penang over possible gaps in oversight of imported foods.
Siti Aimi said Malaysia does not solely depend on data from exporting countries but also on scientific evaluations by international bodies such as the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives.
She said the committee, made up of independent scientists from around the world, has evaluated more than 775 food additives as of October 2025 and removed from approved lists those substances found to have acute toxicity.
She cautioned that science and innovation are moving faster than regulatory consensus.
“It can take five to 10 years for a new additive or revised safety limit to go through international processes and be formally adopted. This is why some novel ingredients exist in a regulatory ‘grey zone’, even within harmonised systems.”
She said Malaysia requires safety dossiers for ingredients without a history of local use, covering toxicological data, allergenicity and safety assurance.
She added that at the same time, authorities conduct surveillance focusing on immediate risks such as microbial contamination, heavy metals and banned substances.
“The current system is excellent at preventing acute foodborne illnesses or high-level chemical poisoning. However, it is not yet adequate for managing sub-clinical, long-term and unknown chronic risks posed by food additives and novel ingredients.”
Given these uncertainties, she urged consumers to take a more active role in understanding what they eat.
“Consumers must transition from being passive purchasers to informed citizens by better understanding ingredient labels, including additive codes.”
She called for reducing intake of ultra-processed foods and rotating brands to limit repeated exposure to specific additives.
