Quantum satis (abbreviation q.s. or Q.S.) is a

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

term meaning the amount which is enough. It has its origins as a

quantity Quantity or amount is a property that can exist as a Counting, multitude or Magnitude (mathematics), magnitude, which illustrate discontinuity (mathematics), discontinuity and continuum (theory), continuity. Quantities can be compared in terms o ...

specification in

medicine Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pract ...

and

pharmacology Pharmacology is a branch of medicine, biology and pharmaceutical sciences concerned with drug or medication action, where a drug may be defined as any artificial, natural, or endogenous (from within the body) molecule which exerts a biochemica ...

, where a similar term ''quantum sufficit'' ("as much as is sufficient") has been used (abbreviated Q.S.). ''Quantum satis'' is also used in the same function in food regulations and food safety laws in the European Community (EC/EU). The specification of ''quantum satis'' for an ingredient essentially means "Add as much of this ingredient as is needed to achieve the desired result, but not more." In food safety regulations in the EU it is a catch-all restriction for artificial food ingredients (especially

food additive Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavor or enhance taste, appearance, or other sensory qualities. Some additives have been used for centuries as part of an effort to preserve food, for example vinegar (pickling), salt (salt ...

s) which are harmless enough to have no specific quantity restriction. It serves to protect consumers from the addition of excessive and unnecessary amounts of such artificial food additives in their foodstuffs and compels producers to: * Introduce minimal additives to food for human consumption * Observe

Good Manufacturing Practice Current good manufacturing practices (cGMP) are those conforming to the guidelines recommended by relevant agencies. Those agencies control the authorization and licensing of the manufacture and sale of food and beverages, cosmetics, pharmaceutica ...

* Refrain from wilful consumer deception For example,

European Union directive A directive is a legal act of the European Union that requires member states to achieve a particular result without dictating the means of achieving that result. Directives first have to be enacted into national law by member states before thei ...

94/36/EC (which regulates the use of

food color Food coloring, or color additive, is any dye, pigment, or substance that imparts color when it is added to food or drink. They come in many forms consisting of liquids, powders, gels, and pastes. Food coloring is used in both commercial foo ...

s) explains in Article 2 (7): ''"In the Annexes to this Directive'' 'quantum satis' ''means that no maximum level is specified. However, coloring matters shall be used according to good manufacturing practice at a level not higher than is necessary to achieve the intended purpose and provided that they do not mislead the customer"''.Translated and copied from :de:quantum satis on German Wikipedia The words ''quantum satis'' are used with reference to a number of substances in the Annexes III and IV to the EU directive 94/36/EC.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Quantum Satis Pharmaceutics Food safety