Uranium and lanthanum in Norwegian drinking water – Is there cause for concern?

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Bisphenols and Oxidative Stress Biomarkers—Associations Found in Human Studies, Evaluation of Methods Used, and Strengths and Weaknesses of the Biomarkers

We thank our other HBM4EU colleagues (mentioned as co-authors in Mustieles et al., 2020) for their contribution to the first literature searches.Bisphenols, particularly bisphenol A (4,40 -(hexafluoroisopropylidene)-diphenol) (BPA), are suspected of inducing oxidative stress in humans, which may be associated with adverse health outcomes. We investigated the associations between exposure to bisphenols and biomarkers of oxidative stress in human studies over the last 12 years (2008-2019) related to six health endpoints and evaluated their suitability as effect biomarkers. PubMed database searches identified 27 relevant articles that were used for data extraction. In all studies, BPA exposure was reported, whereas some studies also reported other bisphenols. More than a dozen different biomarkers were measured. The most frequently measured biomarkers were 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-20 -deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α (8-isoprostane) and malondialdehyde (MDA), which almost always were positively associated with BPA. Methodological issues were reported for MDA, mainly the need to handle samples with caution to avoid artefact formation and its measurements using a chromatographic step to distinguish it from similar aldehydes, making some of the MDA results less reliable. Urinary 8-OHdG and 8-isoprostane can be considered the most reliable biomarkers of oxidative stress associated with BPA exposure. Although none of the biomarkers are considered BPAor organ-specific, the biomarkers can be assessed repeatedly and non-invasively in urine and could help to understand causal relationships.HBM4EU project - European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program 73303

The Intrauterine and Nursing Period Is a Window of Susceptibility for Development of Obesity and Intestinal Tumorigenesis by a High Fat Diet in Min/+

We studied how obesogenic conditions during various life periods affected obesity and intestinal tumorigenesis in adult C57BL/6J-Min (multiple intestinal neoplasia)/+ mice. The mice were given a 10% fat diet throughout life (negative control) or a 45% fat diet in utero, during nursing, during both in utero and nursing, during adult life, or during their whole life-span, and terminated at 11 weeks for tumorigenesis (Min/+) or 23 weeks for obesogenic effect (wild-type). Body weight at 11 weeks was increased after a 45% fat diet during nursing, during both in utero and nursing, and throughout life, but had normalized at 23 weeks. In the glucose tolerance test, the early exposure to a 45% fat diet in utero, during nursing, or during both in utero and nursing, did not affect blood glucose, whereas a 45% fat diet given to adults or throughout life did. However, a 45% fat diet during nursing or during in utero and nursing increased the number of small intestinal tumors. So did exposures to a 45% fat diet in adult life or throughout life, but without increasing the tumor numbers further. The intrauterine and nursing period is a window of susceptibility for dietary fat-induced obesity and intestinal tumor development

A ranking method of chemical substances in foods for prioritisation of monitoring, based on health risk and knowledge gaps

Chemical contaminants are present in all foods. Data on the occurrence of contaminants in foods that are often consumed or contain high contaminant concentrations are critical for the estimation of exposure and evaluation of potential negative health effects. Due to limited resources for the monitoring of contaminants and other chemical substances in foods, methods for prioritisation are needed. We have developed a straightforward semi-quantitative method to rank chemical substances in foods for monitoring as part of a risk-based food control. The method is based on considerations of toxicity, level of exposure including both occurrence in food and dietary intake, vulnerability of one or more population groups due to high exposure because of special food habits or resulting from specific genetic variants, diseases, drug use or age/life stages, and the adequacy of both toxicity and exposure data. The chemical substances ranked for monitoring were contaminants occurring naturally, unintentionally or incidentally in foods or formed during food processing, and the inclusion criteria were high toxicity, high exposure and/or lack of toxicity or exposure data. In principle, this method can be used for all classes of chemical substances that occur in foods, both unintended contaminants and deliberately added chemical substances. Foods considered relevant for monitoring of the different chemical substances were also identified. The outcomes of ranking exercises using the new method including considerations of vulnerable groups and adequacy of data and a shortened version based on risk considerations only were compared. The results showed that the resolution between the contaminants was notably increased with the extended method, which we considered as advantageous for the ranking of chemical substances for monitoring in foods.publishedVersio

Mindfulness Training: A Transdisciplinary Approach to Assessing Efficacy in Education

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Safety evaluation of the native and thermolabile forms of the food enzyme mucorpepsin from Rhizomucor miehei strain MMR 164

[EN] The food enzyme mucorpepsin (aspartic endopeptidase, EC 3.4.23.23) is produced with the non-genetically modified microorganism Rhizomucor miehei strain MMR 164 by Takabio. The enzyme is chemically modified to produce a thermolabile form. The food enzyme is free from viable cells of the production organism. It is intended to be used in milk processing for cheese production. The dietary exposure to the food enzyme-total organic solids (TOS) was estimated to be up to 0.98 mg TOS/kg body weight (bw) per day in European populations. Genotoxicity tests did not raise 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 1,320 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 1,300. Similarity of the amino acid sequence of the food enzyme to those of known allergens was searched and five matches were found. The Panel considered that, under the intended conditions of use, the risk of allergic sensitisation and elicitation reactions upon dietary exposure to this food enzyme cannot be excluded, but is considered low except for individuals sensitised to mustard proteins, but this risk will not exceed that of mustard consumption. 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 Panel wishes to thank the following for the support provided to this scientific output: Ana Gomes, Simone Lunardi, Ivana Nikodinoska.Lambré, C.; Barat Baviera, JM.; Bolognesi, C.; Cocconcelli, PS.; Crebelli, R.; Gott, DM.; Grob, K.... (2022). Safety evaluation of the native and thermolabile forms of the food enzyme mucorpepsin from Rhizomucor miehei strain MMR 164. EFSA Journal. 20(8):1-17. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2022.745911720

Safety assessment of the process Société Générale de Recyclage (SGR), based on the VACUNITE (EREMA basic and Polymetrix SSP V-leaN) technology, used to recycle post-consumer PET into food contact materials

[EN] The EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP) assessed the safety of the recycling process Societe Generale de Recyclage (SGR) (EU register number RECYC201), which uses the VACUNITE (EREMA basic and Polymetrix SSP V-leaN) technology. The input material is hot caustic washed and dried poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) flakes mainly originating from collected post-consumer PET containers, including no more than 5% PET from non-food consumer applications. The flakes are heated in a continuous reactor under vacuum before being extruded and pelletised. The crystallised pellets are then preheated and submitted to solid-state polycondensation (SSP) in a continuous reactor at high temperature under vacuum and gas flow. Having examined the challenge test provided, the Panel concluded that the continuous reactor (step 3) and the SSP reactor (step 5) are critical in determining the decontamination efficiency of the process. The operating parameters to control the performance are temperature, pressure and residence time for steps 3 and 5 as well as velocity of inert gas for step 5. It was demonstrated that this recycling process is able to ensure that the level of migration of potential unknown contaminants into food is below the conservatively modelled migration of 0.1 mu g/kg food. Therefore, the Panel concluded that the recycled PET obtained from this process is not of safety concern, when used at up to 100% for the manufacture of materials and articles for contact with all types of foodstuffs, including drinking water, for long-term storage at room temperature, with or without hotfill. The final articles made of this recycled PET are not intended to be used in microwave and conventional ovens and such uses are not covered by this evaluation.Lambré, C.; Barat Baviera, JM.; Bolognesi, C.; Chesson, A.; Cocconcelli, PS.; Crebelli, R.; Gott, DM.... (2022). Safety assessment of the process Société Générale de Recyclage (SGR), based on the VACUNITE (EREMA basic and Polymetrix SSP V-leaN) technology, used to recycle post-consumer PET into food contact materials. EFSA Journal. 20(5):1-13. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2022.727011320

Safety evaluation of the food enzyme glucan 1,4-alpha-glucosidase from the genetically modified Aspergillus niger strain NZYM-BE

[EN] The food enzyme glucan 1,4-alpha-glucosidase (4-alpha-D-glucan glucohydrolase EC 3.2.1.3) is produced with the genetically modified Aspergillus niger strain NZYM-BE by Novozymes A/S. The genetic modifications do not give rise to safety concerns. The food enzyme was free from viable cells of the production organism and its DNA. The food enzyme is intended to be used in six food manufacturing processes, namely starch processing for the production of glucose syrups and other starch hydrolysates, distilled alcohol production, brewing processes, baking processes, cereal-based processes, and fruit and vegetable processing for juice production. Since residual amounts of total organic solids (TOS) are removed by distillation and by the purification steps applied to produce glucose syrups, dietary exposure was not calculated for these two food processes. For the remaining four processes, dietary exposure to the food enzyme-TOS was estimated to be up to 7.7 mg TOS/kg body weight (bw) per day in European populations. Genotoxicity tests did not raise 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 3,795 mg TOS/kg bw per day, the highest dose tested, which when compared with the estimated dietary exposure, results in a margin of exposure above 490. Similarity of the amino acid sequence of the food enzyme to those of known allergens was searched for and one match found. The Panel considered that, under the intended conditions of use (other than distilled alcohol production) the risk of allergic sensitisation and elicitation reactions by dietary exposure cannot be excluded, but the likelihood for this to occur is considered to be 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.Lambré, C.; Barat Baviera, JM.; Bolognesi, C.; Cocconcelli, PS.; Crebelli, R.; Gott, DM.; Grob, K.... (2022). Safety evaluation of the food enzyme glucan 1,4-alpha-glucosidase from the genetically modified Aspergillus niger strain NZYM-BE. EFSA Journal. 20(6):1-17. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2022.737411720

Safety evaluation of the food enzyme alpha-amylase from Cellulosimicrobium funkei strain AE-AMT

[EN] The food enzyme alpha-amylase (4-alpha-d-glucan glucanohydrolase; EC 3.2.1.1) is produced with the non-genetically modified Cellulosimicrobium funkei strain AE-AMT by Amano Enzyme Inc. The food enzyme is free from viable cells of the production organism. It is intended to be used in starch processing for maltotriose production. Since residual amounts of total organic solids (TOS) are removed by purification steps applied during starch processing, the estimation of a dietary exposure is considered unnecessary. 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 at the highest dose of 230 mg TOS/kg body weight (bw) per day. Similarity of the amino acid sequence of the food enzyme to those of known allergens was searched and nine matches were found. The Panel considered that, under the intended conditions of use, the risk of allergic sensitisation and elicitation reactions by dietary exposure cannot be excluded, but the likelihood is considered 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.Lambré, C.; Barat Baviera, JM.; Bolognesi, C.; Cocconcelli, PS.; Crebelli, R.; Gott, DM.; Grob, K.... (2022). Safety evaluation of the food enzyme alpha-amylase from Cellulosimicrobium funkei strain AE-AMT. EFSA Journal. 20(8):1-12. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2022.746311220