The assessment procedure is very stringent. All additives must be shown to be safe before they can be used in food. The safety evidence is carefully scrutinised by an independent committee of scientists and medical experts. This used to be carried out by the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) but, more recently, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has been made responsible. The approval process takes into account any tests which have been conducted on the additive and, where gaps exist in the knowledge, further tests have to be carried out.