Minutes of the AEJEG 18th July 2024

Meeting of the Committee at 09:30 on Thursday 18th July 2024 via Microsoft Teams  

Contents

Announcements

1. No announcements were made. 

Interests    

2. No conflicts of interest were declared.    

Item 1: Welcomes and Apologies for absence.    

3. Apologies were received from Dr Carol Beevers and Dr Claude Lambré

Item 2: Matters arising RP733 Request for clarification regarding the RFI following the 14th of December 2023 and the 20th of February 2024 meetings.   

4. Members were last presented with this Application for the authorisation of soy legume haemoglobin (shortened to soy leghemoglobin) derived from Pichia pastoris as a flavouring precursor for plant-based meat alternatives in the United Kingdom (RP733) at the April 2024 meeting. Members had further reviewed the Application during meetings in June, October, and December 2023 and February 2024. It was agreed that a request for information RFI would be sent after the April 2024 meeting. 

5. In June 2024 an RFI was issued to the Applicant of RP733. The Applicant subsequently requested clarification on one of the questions within the RFI.   

6. The Secretariat agreed they would produce wording for the clarification that would be circulated to the Members for approval prior to responding to the Applicant. 

Item 3: Update on the application for a change in the Steviol Glycoside specification in the United Kingdom to include a new manufacturing method for Steviol Glycosides including Rebaudioside D (RP1245). 

13. Members were presented with an RFI response for RP1245 on the Application for a change in the Steviol Glycoside specification in the United Kingdom to include a new manufacturing method for Steviol Glycosides including Rebaudioside D (RP1245). The Application had last been presented to the AEJEG at their February 2024 meeting after which an RFI had been issued to the Applicant. 

14. In conclusion, the AEJEG were satisfied with the information provided by the Applicant in response to the request for information. It was agreed that the AEJEG would review the draft Committee Advice Document (CAD) prepared by the Secretariat. 

Item 4: Committee Advice Document (CAD) on the application for a change in the Steviol Glycoside specification in the United Kingdom to include a new manufacturing method for Steviol Glycosides including Rebaudioside D (RP1245). 

15. Members of the AEJEG were presented with a Draft CAD on the application for a change in the Steviol Glycoside specification in the United Kingdom to include a new manufacturing method for Steviol Glycosides including Rebaudioside D (RP1245). 

16. The CAD outlined both the EFSA opinion (EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings, EFSA Journal, Safety of the proposed amendment of the specifications for enzymatically produced Steviol Glycosides (E 960c): Rebaudioside D produced via enzymatic bioconversion of purified stevia leaf extract,20(5), 2022), and the discussions of the AEJEG on information that had been provided by the Applicant to alleviate initial concerns provided by EFSA. 

17. Members suggested minor editorials as discussed should be made to the document by the Secretariat. 

18. It was agreed that the draft Committee Advice Document represented the views and discussions of the AEJEG. It was agreed that the draft would be cleared by Chair’s action and then would be presented to the Committee on Toxicity for comment. 

Item 5: RP40 Update on Application on Extension of use of phosphates (E 338–341, E 343, E 450–452) to a new food category “egg analogues” (RP40) - AEJEG/2024/09. 

29. The AEJEG were presented with an update paper for Regulated Products Application 40 (RP40) which is for the extension of use of phosphates (E 338–341, E 343, E 450–452) to a new food category ‘egg analogues’ to be included under category 12.9 ‘protein products’ excluding category 1.8.  

30. The Committee were invited to review the current updated information provided by the Applicant. The AEJEG was last presented with this Application in July 2023.   

31. It was noted, that an RFI would be sent to the Applicant with wording produced by the Secretariat and circulated to Members to approve.

Item 6: RP40 Update Cover Paper on the Application on the Extension of use of phosphates (E 338–341, E 343, E 450–452) to a new food category “egg analogues” (RP40) (Reserved) AEJEG/2024/10.  

32. As the contents of the cover paper had been reviewed in a previous discussion on the RP40 update paper (AEJEG/2024/09), the AEJEG considered that a discussion of the cover paper was not required within the meeting. 

Item 7: Minutes of the previous meeting - AEJEG/2024/11.

33. Members were presented with minutes of the previous meeting held on the 4th of June 2024 

34. The minutes were accepted subject to minor editorial changes. 

Item 8: Any other business 

35. An update was provided to Members on recent updates to the Regulated Products Service in the FSA. 

36. Details were provided on updates to Scientific Advice Committees (SACs) and their ways of working, and how communication between them can be improved. 

37. Members were reminded the next standard AEJEG meeting would be held on Wednesday 11th of September.