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Abstract The food enzyme asparaginase (l‐asparagine amidohydrolase, EC 3.5.1.1) is produced with the genetically modified Aspergillus oryzae strain NZYM‐SP by Novozymes A/S. The genetic modifications do not give rise to safety concerns. The food enzyme is considered free from viable cells of the production organism and its DNA. It is intended to be used to prevent acrylamide formation in food processing. Dietary exposure to the food enzyme–total organic solids (TOS) was estimated to be up to 0.101 mg TOS/kg body weight (bw) per day in European populations. Genotoxicity tests did not indicate a safety concern. The systemic toxicity was assessed by means of a repeated dose 90‐day oral toxicity study in rats. The Panel identified a no observed adverse effect level of 880 mg TOS/kg bw per day, the highest dose tested, which, when compared with the estimated dietary exposure, resulted in a margin of exposure of at least 8,713. A search for the similarity of the amino acid sequence of the food enzyme to known allergens was made and no match was found. The Panel considered that a risk of allergic reactions by dietary exposure cannot be excluded, but the likelihood is low. Based on the data provided, the Panel concluded that this food enzyme does not give rise to safety concerns under the intended conditions of use.

Abstract The food enzyme asparaginase (l‐asparagine amidohydrolase; EC 3.5.1.1) is produced with the genetically modified microorganism Aspergillus oryzae strain NZYM‐OA by Novozymes A/S. The genetic modifications do not give rise to safety concerns. The food enzyme is free from viable cells of the production organism and its DNA. It is intended to be used in various food manufacturing processes to prevent acrylamide formation. Dietary exposure to the food enzyme–total organic solids (TOS) was estimated to be up to 0.051 mg TOS/kg body weight (bw) per day in European populations. Genotoxicity tests did not indicate a safety concern. The systemic toxicity was assessed by means of a repeated dose 90‐day oral toxicity study in rats. The Panel identified a no observed adverse effect level of 1,182 mg TOS/kg bw per day, the highest dose tested, which, when compared with the estimated dietary exposure, resulted in a margin of exposure of at least 23,176. A search for the similarity of the amino acid sequence of the food enzyme to known allergens was made and no match was found. The Panel considered that, under the intended conditions of use, the risk of allergic reactions by dietary exposure cannot be excluded, but the likelihood is low. Based on the data provided, the Panel concluded that this food enzyme does not give rise to safety concerns, under the intended conditions of use.

Abstract The food enzyme pectinesterase (pectin pectylhydrolase; EC 3.1.1.11) is produced with the genetically modified Aspergillus oryzae strain AR‐962 by AB Enzymes GmbH. The genetic modifications did not give rise to safety concerns. The food enzyme was free from viable cells of the production organism and its DNA. It is intended to be used in five food manufacturing processes: fruit and vegetable processing for juice production, fruit and vegetable processing for products other than juice, production of wine and wine vinegar, production of plant extracts as flavouring preparations and coffee demucilation. Since residual amounts of total organic solids are removed by repeated washing or distillation, dietary exposure to the food enzyme total organic solids (TOS) from the production of flavouring extracts and coffee demucilation was considered not necessary. For the remaining three food processes, dietary exposure to the food enzyme‐TOS was estimated to be up to 0.647 mg TOS/kg bw per day in European populations. Genotoxicity tests did not indicate a safety concern. The systemic toxicity was assessed by means of a repeated dose 90‐day oral toxicity study in rats. The Panel identified a no observed adverse effect level of 1,000 mg TOS/kg bw per day, the highest dose tested, which when compared with the estimated dietary exposure, resulted in a margin of exposure of at least 1,546. A search for the similarity of the amino acid sequence to those of known allergens was made and two matches with pollen allergens were found. The Panel considered that, under the intended conditions of use the risk of allergic reactions by dietary exposure, particularly in individuals sensitised to pollen allergens, cannot be excluded. Based on the data provided, the Panel concluded that this food enzyme does not give rise to safety concerns under the intended conditions of use.

Abstract The food enzyme endo‐polygalacturonase (1→4)‐α‐d‐galacturonan glycanohydrolase EC 3.2.1.15 is produced with the genetically modified Aspergillus oryzae strain AR‐183 by AB ENZYMES GmbH. The genetic modifications do not give rise to safety concerns. The food enzyme is free from viable cells of the production organism and its DNA. It is intended to be used in five food manufacturing processes: fruit and vegetable processing for juice production, fruit and vegetable processing for products other than juice, production of wine and wine vinegar, production of plant extracts as flavouring preparations and coffee demucilation. Since residual amounts of total organic solids (TOS) are removed by repeated washing or distillation, dietary exposure to the food enzyme TOS from coffee demucilation and from the production of flavouring extracts was considered not necessary. For the remaining three food processes, dietary exposure was estimated to be up to 0.087 mg TOS/kg body weight (bw) per day in European populations. Genotoxicity tests did not indicate a safety concern. The systemic toxicity was assessed by a repeated dose 90‐day oral toxicity study in rats. The Panel identified a no observed adverse effect level of 1,000 mg TOS/kg bw per day, the highest dose tested, which, when compared with the estimated dietary exposure, resulted in a margin of exposure of at least 11,494. A search for the similarity of the amino acid sequence of the food enzyme to known allergens was made and two matches with pollen allergens were found. The Panel considered that, under the intended conditions of use, the risk of allergic reactions upon dietary exposure to this food enzyme, particularly in individuals sensitised to pollen allergens, cannot be excluded. Based on the data provided, the Panel concluded that this food enzyme does not give rise to safety concerns under the intended conditions of use.

Abstract The food enzyme β‐galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.23) is produced with the non‐genetically modified Aspergillus sp. strain GD‐FAL by Godo Shusei Co., Ltd. The food enzyme is intended to be used in milk processing for the hydrolysis of lactose. The absence of viable cells of the production organism in the food enzyme was not demonstrated. Based on the assumption that all milk/dairy products are enzymatically treated, dietary exposure to the food enzyme–total organic solids (TOS) was estimated to be up to 0.301 mg TOS/kg body weight per day in European populations. The data provided did not allow concerns of genotoxicity of the food enzyme to be excluded. The systemic toxicity could not be assessed in the absence of an appropriate repeated dose 90‐day oral toxicity study. Consequently, a margin of exposure was not calculated. A search for the similarity of the amino acid sequence of the food enzyme to known allergens was made and no match was found. The Panel considered that, under the intended conditions of use, the risk of allergic reactions by dietary exposure cannot be excluded, but the likelihood for this to occur is low. Based on the remaining concerns on genotoxicity, the inadequacies of the 90‐day repeated dose oral toxicity study in rats and the missing data regarding the absence of viable cells of the production strain in the food enzyme, the Panel could not conclude on the safety of this food enzyme.