EU Evaluates the Safety of Triacylglycerol Lipase Produced by Non-GMO Rhizopus arrhizus Strain AE-TL(B)

On July 24, 2024, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) released a closely watched report providing an in-depth review of the safety of a food enzyme called triacylglycerol lipase. This evaluation not only demonstrates the EU's rigorous attitude towards food safety standards, but also provides an important reference for global food safety supervision.

This triacylglycerol lipase is produced by an organism named non-transgenic Rhizopus oligoides AE-TL(B), which has a wide application prospect in the food industry. The enzyme is designed to be used in six different food production processes, with the aim of improving food production efficiency and nutritional value. However, before it can be put into use, its safety must be rigorously evaluated and verified.

EFSA's expert panel conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the safety of triglyceride lipase. They first analyzed the production process of the enzyme to ensure that its source was clear and pollution-free. They then conducted an in-depth study of the conditions under which the enzyme is used to ensure its stability and safety in the food production process.

In its assessment, the Panel paid particular attention to the potential impact of food enzymes on human health. They noted that in food manufacturing processes, some of the organic solids (TOS) are removed, while triglyceride lipase mainly acts on the remaining five processes. Therefore, they performed detailed dietary exposure estimates for these five processes. The results showed that the daily dietary exposure of the European population was up to 0.086 mg TOS/kg body weight. This data is well below the level of no adverse effects reported in previous evaluations (1960 mg TOS/kg body weight per day, highest dose), indicating an extremely high safety of triglyceride lipase under the conditions of intended use.

The panel further analyzed the exposure margin of safety. They found that the margin of safety for exposure in this assessment was at least 22,791 times that of the previous assessment. This data is sufficient to demonstrate the safety of triglyceride lipase in food production. Therefore, the Panel concluded that, based on the data from the previous evaluation and the revised exposure safety margin for this evaluation, triglyceride lipase does not raise safety concerns under the conditions of intended use.

This conclusion has important implications for the food industry. It means that food manufacturers can safely use triglyceride lipases to improve the production efficiency and nutritional value of food products, and consumers can safely enjoy these enzymatically processed foods. At the same time, this assessment also provides an important reference and reference for global food safety supervision.

In the world of food safety, any small risk can have a serious impact on people's health. Therefore, the safety assessment of food additives such as food enzymes must be rigorous and comprehensive. This assessment by EFSA not only demonstrates its professional competence and rigorous attitude in the field of food safety, but also sets a benchmark for global food safety regulation. In the future, we hope that more countries and regions can learn from this experience and jointly protect people's food safety.