Evaluation of the safety of sodium pectate as a food ingredient.

New potential uses of pectates in food products have recently stimulated interest in re-evaluating the information available concerning the safety of pectins and pectates as food ingredients. Data relevant to this re-evaluation have been obtained in rats in recent 14-day and 13 wk subchronic feeding studies with sodium pectate. Ames tests and other mutagenicity tests have been conducted with sodium pectate, bleached sodium pectate and mixed sodium/calcium pectate salts. These toxicological studies with pectates have provided further evidence of their safety, and support of the continued GRAS status of pectins and pectate salts.