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The food enzyme bacillolysin (EC 3.4.24.28) is produced with the non-genetically modified Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain HPN 131 by ENMEX SA de CV. The production strain qualifies for the qualified presumption of safety (QPS) approach to safety assessment. The food enzyme under assessment is intended to be used in seven food manufacturing processes: processing of cereals and other grains for the production of baked products, brewed products and distilled alcohol; processing of dairy products for the production of modified milk proteins; processing of meat and fish products for the production of protein hydrolysates; processing of plant- and fungal-derived products for the production of protein hydrolysates; processing of yeasts and yeast products. Since residual amounts of total organic solids (TOS) are not carried over to distilled alcohol, a dietary exposure was estimated only for the remaining six food manufacturing processes. Exposure was estimated to be up to 8.302 mg TOS/kg body weight (bw) per day in European populations. As the production strain qualifies for the QPS status and no issue of concern arose from the production process of the food enzyme, the Panel considered that no toxicological studies other than the assessment of allergenicity were necessary. A search for the similarity of the amino acid sequence of the food enzyme to known allergens was made and no matches were found. The Panel considered that the risk of allergic reactions by dietary exposure cannot be excluded (except for distilled alcohol production), 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. © 2023 European Food Safety Authority. EFSA Journal published by Wiley-VCH GmbH on behalf of European Food Safety Authority.

The food enzyme triacylglycerol lipase (triacylglycerol acylhydrolase, EC 3.1.1.3) is produced with the non-genetically modified yeast Limtongozyma cylindracea strain MS-5-OF by Meito Sangyo Co., Ltd. The food enzyme is free from viable cells of the production organism. It is intended to be used in five food manufacturing processes: brewing processes, baking processes, milk processing for cheese production, production of free fatty acids by hydrolysis and production of flavouring preparations from dairy products. Dietary exposure to the food enzyme–total organic solids (TOS) was estimated to be up to 1.033 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 2,084 mg TOS/kg bw per day, the highest dose tested, which, when compared with the estimated dietary exposure, results in a margin of exposure of at least 2,017. 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.

The food enzyme lysozyme (peptidoglycan N-acetylmuramoylhydrolase; EC 3.2.1.17) is produced with hens' eggs and submitted by DSM Food Specialties BV. It is intended to be used in brewing processes, milk processing for cheese production as well as wine and vinegar production. The dietary exposure to the food enzyme–total organic solids (TOS) was estimated to be up to 4.9 mg TOS/kg body weight per day. This exposure is lower than the intake of the corresponding fraction from eggs, for all population groups. Egg lysozyme is a known food allergen. The Panel considered that, under the intended conditions of use, the residual amounts of lysozyme in treated beers, cheese and cheese products as well as wine and wine vinegar may trigger adverse allergenic reactions in susceptible individuals. Based on the data provided, the origin of the food enzyme and an exposure to the food enzyme comparable to the intake from eggs, the Panel concluded that the food enzyme lysozyme does not give rise to safety concerns under the intended conditions of use, except for the known adverse allergic reactions that occur in susceptible individuals.

This document is intended to assist the applicant in the preparation and the presentation of an application, as foreseen in Article 17.3 of Regulation (EC) No 1332/2008, for the authorisation of food enzymes. It specifically covers the characterisation of microorganisms used as production organisms.

The food enzyme l-ascorbate: oxygen oxidoreductase (EC 1.10.3.3) is extracted from fruit peels of Cucurbita pepo L. and Cucurbita moschata Duchesne by Nagase (Europa) GmbH. This enzyme is intended to be used in baking and cereal-based processes. Based on maximum use levels recommended for the respective food processes and individual data from the EFSA Comprehensive European Food Consumption Database, dietary exposure to the food enzyme–total organic solids (TOS) was estimated to be up to 5.950 mg TOS/kg body weight per day in European populations. This exposure is in the same order of magnitude for infants and toddlers; but for children, adolescents, adults and the elderly it is one order of magnitude higher than the exposure to the fraction of the fruit peels comparable to the food enzyme–TOS. The Panel, while recognising the order of magnitude of difference in the exposure estimates, considers that any realistic exposure derived from the use of the food enzyme would be considerably lower and likely to be within the range of exposure through a typical diet. The Panel agreed that the requirements for exclusion of toxicological data were met. Amino acid sequence similarity to known allergens was searched and no match was found. The Panel considered that the risk of allergic sensitisation and elicitation reactions upon dietary exposure to this food enzyme cannot be excluded, but are not expected to exceed the likelihood of the allergic reactions following consumption of pumpkin or zucchini per se, which is low. Based on the data provided and the origin of the food enzyme from edible parts of C. pepo L. and C. moschata Duchesne, the Panel considers that the food enzyme l-ascorbate oxidase does not raise safety concerns under the intended conditions of use.

Extratropical cyclones are storm systems that are observed to travel preferentially within confined regions known as storm tracks. They contribute to precipitation, wind and temperature extremes in mid-latitudes. Cyclones tend to form where surface temperature gradients are large, and the jet stream influences their speed and direction of travel. Storm tracks shape the global climate through transport of energy and momentum. The intensity and location of storm tracks varies seasonally, and in response to other natural variations, such as changes in tropical sea surface temperature. A hierarchy of numerical models of the atmosphere-ocean system - from highly idealized to comprehensive - has been used to study and predict responses of storm tracks to anthropogenic climate change. The future position and intensity of storm tracks depend on processes that alter temperature gradients. However, different processes can have opposing influences on temperature gradients, which leads to a tug of war on storm track responses and makes future projections more difficult. For example, as climate warms, surface shortwave cloud radiative changes increase the Equator-to-pole temperature gradient, but at the same time, longwave cloud radiative changes reduce this gradient. Future progress depends on understanding and accurately quantifying the relative influence of such processes on the storm tracks.

Le projet GAMETOGENES vise à améliorer les connaissances des bases physiologiques et génétiques de la reproduction et des métabolismes associés chez un mollusque d'importance économique l'huître creuse, Crassostrea gigas. Il a pour objectifs (1) la définition de marqueurs clés de la gamétogenèse, de l'investissement reproducteur et du déterminisme du sexe chez une espèce hermaphrodite à protandrie irrégulière (2) la recherche de QTL de survie aux mortalités estivales ou à l'effort de reproduction dont le succès repose sur l'augmentation de la densité de marqueurs sur les cartes génétiques existantes (SNP en particulier) et sur les liens qui pourront être établis entre ces cartes de liaison et une carte physique (3) le développement d'outils pour valider la fonctionnalité des gènes d'intérêt.

Double differential cross sections (DDCS) for light charged particles (proton, deuteron, triton, 3He, alpha) and neutrons produced by a proton beam impinging on a 238U target at 62.9 MeV were measured at the CYCLONE facility in Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium). These measurements have been performed using two independent experimental set-ups ensuring neutron (DeMoN counters) and light charged particles (Si-Si-CsI telescopes) detection. The charged particle data were measured at 11 different angular positions from 25 degrees to 140 degrees allowing the determination of angle differential, energy differential and total production cross sections.

Neutrons and light charged particles produced in 62.9 MeV proton-induced reactions on Pb-208 were measured during a single experiment performed at the CYCLONE facility in Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium). Two independent experimental set-ups were used to extract double differential cross-sections for neutrons, protons, deuterons, tritons, He-3 and alpha-particles. Charged particles were detected using a set of Si-Si-CsI telescopes from 25degrees to 155degrees, by step of 10 degrees. Neutrons were measured using shielded DeMoN counters, liquid NE213 scintillators, at 24degrees, 35degrees, 55degrees, 80degrees and 120degrees. These data allowed the determination of angle differential, energy differential and total production cross-sections. A comparison with theoretical calculations (MCNPX, FLUKA and TALYS) has been performed. It shows that the neutron and proton production rates are well predicted by MCNPX, using the INCL4 option. All the other codes underestimate the neutron production whereas they overestimate the proton one. For composite particles, which represent 17% of the charged particle total reaction cross-section, neither the shape nor the amplitude of the cross-sections are correctly predicted by the models.