Abstract:

The use of borates as food additives is banned in China and many other countries due to their potential toxicity.
However, in recent years, illegal addition of borax during food processing has occurred frequently, which has aroused
people’s attention. Because boron naturally occurs as a natural trace element in many plants and animals, it is difficult
to determine the source of detectable boron in foods. This article aims to summarize the progress that has been achieved
in understanding the metabolism and toxicity of boron as well as its maximum allowable intake level for humans and its
distribution in foods in order to provide references for the safety supervision over foods containing boron in China.

Key words: boron, food, limit, supervision