Zinc in food supplements

Zinc: in France, a food supplement may not provide more than 15 mg a day (Order of 9 May 2006, not revised since November 2006, Annex III); for adults, EFSA's upper safe limit is 25 mg a day. The doses of the 2006 Order have not been revised since the amending Order of 14 November 2006, and some were annulled by the Conseil d'État in 2011; the DGCCRF accepted higher levels for some nutrients through guidelines published until January 2019, and an update of the Order is being prepared (ministerial answer published in the Official Journal on 11 February 2025).

Uses

• As negative electrode in alkaline cell electrode

• Galvanizing sheet iron; as ingredient of alloys such as bronze, brass, Babbitt metal, German silver, and special alloys for die-casting.

• Protective coating for metals to prevent corrosion; for electrical apparatus, especially dry cell batteries, household utensils, casting, printing plates, building materials, railroad car lining, automotive equipment; reducing agent in organic chemistry; deoxidizing bronze; extracting gold by cyanide process, purifying fats for soaps; bleaching bone glue; manufacture sodium hydrosulfite; insulin zinc salts; reagent in analytical chemistry

• Substance listed with specific concentration in tattoo ink and/or permanent make up according to EU Commission Regulation 2020/2081. The concentration limit (by weight) is 0.2%.

Use classification

• Chemical Classes -> Inorganic substances

A molecule found naturally in plants or organisms; in a supplement it may be extracted from them, made by fermentation or synthesised: the declaration does not say which.

Basis: one CosIngThe European Commission's database of cosmetic ingredients. CAS and natural occurrence recorded in Wikidata (LOTUS database).

Natural occurrence recorded in Wikidata (LOTUS database): 5 taxa; examples: Foeniculum vulgare, Theobroma cacao, Phytelephas aequatorialis, Artemia salina, Tedania charcoti.

Manufacturing

• Concentration of zinc ore, roasting the concentrate, followed by thermal smelting (reduction with carbon), or followed by leaching of the roasted concentrate to extract soluble zinc, purification, and electrolytic refining.

• The hydrometallurgical or electrolytical process where the zinc oxide is leached from the roasted or calcined material with sulfuric acid to form zinc sulfate solution which is electrolyzed in cells to deposit zinc on cathodes.

• Two processes are used to produce metallic zinc from the ore concentrates that are not subjected to caustic soda leaching. In one process, the ore concentrate containing zinc sulfide is roasted in the presence of air to produce zinc oxide, which is combined with coke or coal and retorted to approximately 1,100 °C to produce metallic zinc. In the other process, the roasted zinc oxide is leached with sulfuric acid, and the solution is electrolyzed to produce zinc of >99.9% purity.

• Zinc ore is mined using both underground mining and open pit mining. The mined zinc ores are too low in zinc content for direct reduction to refined metal; thus, they are first concentrated. Production of concentrates requires crushing and grinding followed by gravity or magnetic methods of separation or flotation. These processes may be combined, depending on the complexity of the ore. A caustic-leach process is used to decrease the extent of metal loss during the concentration process. In this process, the metal is leached by caustic soda, the resulting electrolyte is purified with zinc dust and lime, and the zinc is electrodeposited. The crude zinc may be dissolved in sulfuric acid and purified by electrodeposition.

Appearance

• Bluish-white, lustrous metal; distorted hexagonal close-packed structure; when heated to 100-150 °C becomes malleable, at 210 °C becomes brittle and pulverizable

• Brittle at ordinary temperatures

• Zinc ashes appears as a grayish colored powder. May produce toxic zinc oxide fumes when heated to very high temperatures or when burned. Insoluble in water. Used in paints, bleaches and to make other chemicals.

• Zinc dust appears as a grayish powder. Insoluble in water. May produce toxic zinc oxide fumes when heated to very high temperatures or when burned. Used in paints, bleaches and to make other chemicals.

Stability

• Stable in dry air; becomes covered with white coating of basic carbonate on exposure to moist air.

• Zinc is attacked by carbon dioxide & sulfur dioxide resulting chiefly in a coating of hydrated basic carbonate of variable composition; hydrogen peroxide may be formed in the process

Other names: Zink (German), zinco (Italian), zinco (Portuguese).

Le repère de l'EFSA porte sur l'apport total d'une journée, alimentation et compléments.

Maximum daily dose per supplement in France: 15 mg, according to the Order of 9 May 2006.

The doses of the 2006 Order have not been revised since the amending Order of 14 November 2006, and some were annulled by the Conseil d'État in 2011; the DGCCRF accepted higher levels for some nutrients through guidelines published until January 2019, and an update of the Order is being prepared (ministerial answer published in the Official Journal on 11 February 2025).

Where to find it in food

Selected everyday foods, ranked by decreasing content across all confidence levels. Each value is at least one tenth of the maximum among the foods examined. Content varies with the food and preparation.

The Ciqual code indicates confidence in each value: A high, B good, C moderate, D low (a less certain value).

Authorised health claims

• « Zinc contributes to normal DNA synthesis »
  Conditions: The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of zinc as referred to in the claim SOURCE OF [NAME OF VITAMIN/S] AND/OR [NAME OF MINERAL/S] as listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.
• « Zinc contributes to normal acid-base metabolism »
  Conditions: The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of zinc as referred to in the claim SOURCE OF [NAME OF VITAMIN/S] AND/OR [NAME OF MINERAL/S] as listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.
• « Zinc contributes to normal carbohydrate metabolism »
  Conditions: The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of zinc as referred to in the claim SOURCE OF [NAME OF VITAMIN/S] AND/OR [NAME OF MINERAL/S] as listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.
• « Zinc contributes to normal cognitive function »
  Conditions: The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of zinc as referred to in the claim SOURCE OF [NAME OF VITAMIN/S] AND/OR [NAME OF MINERAL/S] as listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.
• « Zinc contributes to normal fertility and reproduction »
  Conditions: The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of zinc as referred to in the claim SOURCE OF [NAME OF VITAMIN/S] AND/OR [NAME OF MINERAL/S] as listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.
• « Zinc contributes to normal macronutrient metabolism »
  Conditions: The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of zinc as referred to in the claim SOURCE OF [NAME OF VITAMIN/S] AND/OR [NAME OF MINERAL/S] as listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.
• « Zinc contributes to normal metabolism of fatty acids »
  Conditions: The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of zinc as referred to in the claim SOURCE OF [NAME OF VITAMIN/S] AND/OR [NAME OF MINERAL/S] as listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.
• « Zinc contributes to normal metabolism of vitamin A »
  Conditions: The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of zinc as referred to in the claim SOURCE OF [NAME OF VITAMIN/S] AND/OR [NAME OF MINERAL/S] as listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.
• « Zinc contributes to normal protein synthesis »
  Conditions: The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of zinc as referred to in the claim SOURCE OF [NAME OF VITAMIN/S] AND/OR [NAME OF MINERAL/S] as listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.
• « Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal bones »
  Conditions: The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of zinc as referred to in the claim SOURCE OF [NAME OF VITAMIN/S] AND/OR [NAME OF MINERAL/S] as listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.
• « Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal hair »
  Conditions: The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of zinc as referred to in the claim SOURCE OF [NAME OF VITAMIN/S] AND/OR [NAME OF MINERAL/S] as listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.
• « Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal nails »
  Conditions: The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of zinc as referred to in the claim SOURCE OF [NAME OF VITAMIN/S] AND/OR [NAME OF MINERAL/S] as listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.
• « Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal skin »
  Conditions: The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of zinc as referred to in the claim SOURCE OF [NAME OF VITAMIN/S] AND/OR [NAME OF MINERAL/S] as listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.
• « Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal testosterone levels in the blood »
  Conditions: The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of zinc as referred to in the claim SOURCE OF [NAME OF VITAMIN/S] AND/OR [NAME OF MINERAL/S] as listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.
• « Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal vision »
  Conditions: The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of zinc as referred to in the claim SOURCE OF [NAME OF VITAMIN/S] AND/OR [NAME OF MINERAL/S] as listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.
• « Zinc contributes to the normal function of the immune system »
  Conditions: The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of zinc as referred to in the claim SOURCE OF [NAME OF VITAMIN/S] AND/OR [NAME OF MINERAL/S] as listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.
• « Zinc contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress »
  Conditions: The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of zinc as referred to in the claim SOURCE OF [NAME OF VITAMIN/S] AND/OR [NAME OF MINERAL/S] as listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.
• « Zinc has a role in the process of cell division »
  Conditions: The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of zinc as referred to in the claim SOURCE OF [NAME OF VITAMIN/S] AND/OR [NAME OF MINERAL/S] as listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.

Official English text, as entered in the Union register. A claim may only be used under its conditions.

Union list: vitamin and mineral forms that may be used in a food supplement (Directive 2002/46/EC, Annex II).