Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2018-07"
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- Thermal and non-thermal Cantaloupe melon juice pasteurization: Assessment of the impact of ozone exposure on microbiological, physicochemical and bioactive characteristicsPublication . Sroy, Sengly; Fundo, Joana F.; Miller, Fátima A.; Brandão, Teresa R.S.; Silva, Cristina L. M.
- Safety evaluation of the food enzyme α-amylase from a genetically modified Aspergillus niger (strain NZYM-SB)Publication . EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids (CEF); Poças, Maria de Fátima TavaresThe food enzyme is an α-amylase (4-α-d-glucan glucanohydrolase; EC 3.2.1.1), produced with the genetically modified Aspergillus niger strain NZYM-SB by Novozymes A/S. The food enzyme does not contain the production organism or its DNA; therefore, there is no safety concern for the environment. The α-amylase is intended for use in starch processing, beverage alcohol (distilling) processes and baking processes. Residual amounts of total organic solids (TOS) are removed by distillation and by the purification steps applied during the production of glucose syrups (by > 99%). Consequently, dietary exposure was not calculated for these two uses. Based on the maximum use levels recommended for the baking processes and individual consumption data from the EFSA Comprehensive European Food Consumption Database, dietary exposure to the food enzyme–TOS was estimated to be up to 3.075 mg TOS/kg body weight per day in European populations. The food enzyme did not induce gene mutations in bacteria or micronuclei in human lymphocytes. Subchronic toxicity was assessed by means of a repeated-dose 90-day oral toxicity study in rodents. A no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) was derived that, compared with the dietary exposure, resulted in a sufficiently high margin of exposure (MOE). Similarity of the amino acid sequence to those of known allergens was searched and two matches were found. The Panel considered that the risk of allergic sensitisation and elicitation reactions by dietary exposure cannot be excluded, but the likelihood is considered low. Based on the genetic modifications, the manufacturing process, the compositional and biochemical data, the findings in the toxicological and genotoxicity studies, as well as the estimated dietary exposure, the Panel concluded that this food enzyme does not give rise to safety concerns under the intended conditions of use.
- Safety assessment of the process ‘Gneuss 1’, based on Gneuss technology, used to recycle post-consumer PET into food contact materialsPublication . EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids (CEF); Poças, Maria de Fátima TavaresThis scientific opinion of the EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids deals with the safety evaluation of the recycling process Gneuss 1 (EU register No RECYC0143). The input is washed and dried poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) flakes originating from collected post-consumer PET containers, containing no more than 5% of PET from non-food applications. They are extruded under vacuum into pellets or sheets. Having examined the challenge test provided, the Panel concluded that the decontamination in the extruder under vacuum degassing is the critical step for the decontamination efficiency of the process. The operating parameters to control its performance are well defined and are temperature, pressure, residence time, throughput rate, rotor speed and satellite screws speed. The operating parameters of this step are at least as severe as those obtained from the challenge test. It was demonstrated that this recycling process is able to ensure that the level of migration of potential unknown contaminants into food is below a conservatively modelled migration of 0.1 μg/kg food. Therefore, the recycled PET obtained from the process Gneuss 1 intended for the manufacture of articles made with up to 100% recycled post-consumer PET and intended for contact for long-term storage at room temperature with all types of foodstuffs is not considered of safety concern. Trays made of this recycled PET are not intended to be used, and should not be used, in microwave and conventional ovens.
- Enhancement of methane production from 1-hexadecene by additional electron donorsPublication . Paulo, A. M. S.; Salvador, A. F.; Alves, J. I.; Castro, R.; Langenhoff, A. A. M.; Stams, A. J. M.; Cavaleiro, A. J.1-Hexadecene-contaminated wastewater is produced in oil refineries and can be treated in methanogenic bioreactors, although generally at low conversion rates. In this study, a microbial culture able to degrade 1-hexadecene was enriched, and different stimulation strategies were tested for enhancing 1-hexadecene conversion to methane. Seven and three times faster methane production was obtained in cultures stimulated with yeast extract or lactate, respectively, while cultures amended with crotonate lost the ability to degrade 1-hexadecene. Methane production from 1-hexadecene was not enhanced by the addition of extra hydrogenotrophic methanogens. Bacteria closely related to Syntrophus and Smithella were detected in 1-hexadecene-degrading cultures, but not in the ones amended with crotonate, which suggests the involvement of these bacteria in 1-hexadecene degradation. Genes coding for alkylsuccinate synthase alpha-subunit were detected in cultures degrading 1-hexadecene, indicating that hydrocarbon activation may occur by fumarate addition. These findings are novel and show that methane production from 1-hexadecene is improved by the addition of yeast extract or lactate. These extra electron donors may be considered as a potential bioremediation strategy of oil-contaminated sites with bioenergy generation through methane production.
- Safety evaluation of the food enzyme alpha-amylase from a genetically modified bacillus licheniformis (strain NZYM-AN)Publication . EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids (CEF); Poças, Maria de Fátima TavaresThe food enzyme is an α-amylase (4-α-d-glucan glucanohydrolase; EC 3.2.1.1) produced with a genetically modified Bacillus licheniformis strain NZYM-AN by Novozymes A/S. The genetic modifications do not give rise to safety concerns. The food enzyme does not contain the production organism or recombinant DNA; therefore, there is no safety concern for the environment. The α-amylase is intended to be used in starch processing for the production of glucose syrups and distilled alcohol production. Residual amounts of total organic solids (TOS) are removed by distillation and by the purification steps applied during the production of glucose syrups (by > 99%). Consequently, dietary exposure was not calculated. Genotoxicity tests with the food enzyme did not raise a safety concern. The amino acid sequence of the food enzyme did not match to those of known allergens. The Panel considered that under the intended condition of use, the risk of allergic sensitisation and elicitation reactions upon dietary exposure to this food enzyme cannot be excluded, but the likelihood is considered low. Based on the microbial source, the genetic modifications, the manufacturing process, the compositional and biochemical data, the removal of TOS during the intended food production processes and the findings in the genotoxicity studies, the Panel concluded that this food enzyme does not give rise to safety concerns under the intended conditions of use.
- Scientific opinion on flavouring group evaluation 203, revision 2 (FGE.203Rev2): α,β-unsaturated aliphatic aldehydes and precursors from chemical subgroup 1.1.4 of FGE.19 with two or more conjugated double-bonds and with or without additional non-conjugated double-bondsPublication . EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids (CEF); Poças, Maria de Fátima TavaresThe Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids of the European Food Safety Authority was requested to evaluate the genotoxic potential of flavouring substances from subgroup 1.1.4 of FGE.19 in the Flavouring Group Evaluation 203 Revision 2 (FGE.203Rev2). In FGE. 203 Revision 1, the Panel concluded that the genotoxic potential could not be ruled out for the flavouring substances in this FGE. The Flavour Industry provided additional genotoxicity studies for the representative substances of FGE.19 subgroup 1.1.4, namely deca-2(trans),4(trans)-dienal [FL-no: 05.140] and hexa-2(trans),4(trans)-dienal [FL-no: 05.057]. In addition, new studies on hepta-2,4-dienal [FL-no: 05.084], 2,4-octadienal [FL-no: 05.186] and tr-2,tr-4-nonadienal [FL-no: 05.194] were provided that are evaluated in the present revision of FGE.203, i.e. FGE.203Rev2. Hepta-2,4-dienal [FL-no: 05.084], 2,4-octadienal [FL-no: 05.186] and tr-2,tr-4-nonadienal [FL-no: 05.194] did not induce gene mutations in bacteria. Hexa-2(trans),4(trans)-dienal [FL-no: 05.057] did not induce gene mutations in vitro in mammalian cells. Hexa-2(trans),4(trans)-dienal [FL-no: 05.057] was also tested in an in vivo gene mutation assay giving negative results. Both hexa-2(trans),4(trans)-dienal [FL-no: 05.057] and deca-2(trans),4(trans)-dienal [FL-no: 05.140] were tested in vivo for the induction of micronuclei in rats bone marrow and peripheral reticulocytes after oral or intraperitoneal administration. None of the two substances induced increased frequencies of micronuclei. The Panel concluded that the concern for genotoxicity can be ruled out for the representative substances hexa-2(trans),4(trans)-dienal [FL-no: 05.057] and deca-2(trans),4(trans)-dienal [FL-no: 05.140] and therefore also for the other substances in this group [FL-no: 02.139, 02.153, 02.162, 02.188, 05.064, 05.071, 05.081, 05.084, 05.101, 05.108, 05.125, 05.127, 05.141, 05.173, 05.186, 05.194, 05.196, 09.573]. These 20 substances can be evaluated using the Procedure for the evaluation of flavouring substances.
- Safety evaluation of the food enzyme glucose oxidase from a genetically modified Aspergillus oryzae (strain NZYM-KP)Publication . EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids (CEF); Poças, Maria de Fátima TavaresThe food enzyme is a glucose oxidase (beta-d-glucose:oxygen 1-oxidoreductase; EC 1.1.3.4) produced with a genetically modified strain of Aspergillus oryzae strain NZYM-KP by Novozymes A/S. The genetic modifications do not give rise to safety concerns. The food enzyme does not contain the production organism or DNA; therefore, there is no safety concern for the environment. The glucose oxidase is intended to be used in baking processes. Based on the maximum use levels recommended and individual consumption 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 0.156 mg TOS/kg body weight (bw) per day in European populations. The food enzyme did not induce gene mutations in bacteria or chromosome aberrations in human lymphocytes. The subchronic toxicity was assessed by means of a repeated dose 90-day oral toxicity study in rodents. A no-observed-adverse-effect level was derived (341 mg TOS/kg bw per day), which compared with the estimated dietary exposure results in a sufficiently high margin of exposure. The allergenicity was evaluated by comparing the amino acid sequence to those of known allergens and one match with a fungal contact allergen was found. The Panel considered that, under the intended condition 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 microbial source, the genetic modifications, the manufacturing process, the compositional and biochemical data, the estimated dietary exposure and the findings in the toxicological studies, the Panel concluded that this food enzyme does not give rise to safety concerns under the intended conditions of use.
- Safety assessment of the process ‘Linpac’, based on Linpac super clean technology, used to recycle post-consumer PET into food contact materialsPublication . EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids (CEF); Poças, Maria de Fátima TavaresThis scientific opinion of the EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids (CEF Panel) deals with the safety assessment of the Linpac recycling process (EU register number RECYC0148), which is based on the Linpac super clean technology. The input to this process is hot washed and dried poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) flakes originating from collected post-consumer PET containers, containing no more than 5% PET from non-food consumer applications. In this technology post-consumer washed and dried PET flakes are heated in continuous driers under gas flow before being extruded. Having examined the results of the challenge test provided, the Panel concluded that the decontamination in the driers (steps 2 and 3) are the critical steps that determine the decontamination efficiency of the process. The operating parameters controlling its performance are well defined and are residence time, ‘air flow per mass of flakes’ and temperature in the driers. It was demonstrated that, depending on the operating conditions, the recycling process under evaluation is able to ensure that the level of migration of potential unknown contaminants into food is below a conservatively modelled migration of 0.15 μg/kg food, derived from the exposure scenario for toddlers. The Panel concluded that recycled PET obtained from the process is not of safety concern when used at up to 100% to make articles intended for contact with all types of foodstuffs, except packaged water. These articles should be used at conditions covered by migration testing of 10 days at 20°C. The articles are not intended to be used, and should not be used, in microwave and conventional ovens.
- Pantalla o papel: la construcción lectora en contexto digital y analógico en hablantes de lenguas próximasPublication . Chenoll, AntonioThis paper aims to delineate the importance of knowing explicitly the conditioning factors of the reading process from a contextual perspective (digital and analog) for an optimization of the learning process in speakers of related languages. For this, a quantitative test was designed to measure in a more objective way the construction capacity of a linguistic brain whose mother tongue has such marked affinities as Portuguese in relation to Spanish. Making a point of comparison between both groups helped us to know the level at which students use in a more or less complete way the information bias as an element of cognitive saving. The results of this comparison help us to affirm that there is a difference in both contexts and recommending, according to which situations, to use one format or another depending on our needs as teachers or as learners.
- O papel das TIC no desenvolvimento comunitário em MoçambiquePublication . Lagarto, José Reis