FOOD AND HEALTH ESSENTIALS

EU Commission prohibits the use of a potentially toxic flavouring substance

The Commission of the European Union (EU) has moved to ban the use of the flavouring substance 4,5 epoxydec-2(trans)-enal in foods due to concerns about potential genotoxicity.

Issued on July 11th, Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/1250 cites recent research by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) that the chemical “raises a safety concern with respect to genotoxicity as there is a genotoxic effect observed in the liver of rats in the in vivo assay submitted.” As a result, “the use of 4,5 epoxydec-2(trans)-enal…does not comply with the general conditions of the use of flavourings…(and) the substance should be removed from the list without delay in order to protect human health.”

4,5 epoxydec-2(trans)-enal has been used as a flavouring substance in a variety of foods, including dairy products, meat and meat products, sauces and spices. 

The ban on the use of 4,5 epoxydec-2(trans)-enal as a flavouring substance takes effect immediately.

The text of the EU Commission’s Regulation is available here.