Minutes of the AEJEG 20th July 2023 Meeting

Meeting of the Committee at 10:00 on Tuesday 20^th July 2023 via Microsoft Teams

Contents

Announcements

1. The chair welcomes Members and other attendees.

Interests

2. No conflicts of interest were declared.

Item 1: Apologies for absence

3. Apologies were received from Dr Gaetana Spedalieri, who left at 1pm.

Item 2: Minutes from the last meeting

4. Members were presented with the minutes of the AEJEG meeting held on 1^st June 2023.

5. The minutes of the last meeting were agreed as accurate record, subject to minor editorial changes. 

Item 3: Application for authorisation of the substance glycolipids (E 246) (Nagardo, AM-1) for use as a new food additive” (RP1457) 

6. The AEJEG was presented with and asked to evaluate the Applicant’s responses to multiple requests for further information (RFI’s) for RP1457. This is an application for the authorisation of the substance Glycolipids (E 246) also known as Nagardo and AM-1, for use as a new food additive and was last presented on the 13^th of February 2023. The RFIs covered several aspects of the products specification and safety and were received on Monday 3rd April, Friday 23^rd June and Tuesday 11th July.

7. The AEJEG reviewed the information provided by the Applicant in response to the latest request for information. The AEJEG considered that further information would be required in order for the AEJEG to determine the safety of the authorisation of the substance Glycolipids (E 246), also known as Nagardo and AM-1, for use as a new food additive as described within this Application.

8. Based on the above information, it was agreed that the Secretariat would prepare questions which would be circulated to the AEJEG, prior to being included in an RFI letter to be sent to the Applicant. This item would be revisited upon receipt of the requested additional information.  

Item 4: Update on Application for Authorisation of Blue Microalgae Extract (Blue Galdieria Extract) for Use as a New Food Additive in the ‘Colour’ Functional Class (RP 507)

9. The AEJEG was presented with and asked to evaluate the Applicant’s response to a request for further information (RFI) for RP507. This is an application for the authorisation of blue microalgae or blue Galdieria extract for use as a new food additive. The AEJEG initially reviewed the application in February 2022. The AEJEG have reviewed the Application in their July 2022, October 2022, and April 2023 meetings. The RFI was sent following a discussion which took place during the meeting on Thursday 25^th April, in which Members agreed that further additional details of the Applicant’s historical control data and justification of units used were required in order to carry out a comprehensive risk assessment. Members were invited to consider the Applicant’s response to the RFI, received on Tuesday 23^rd May.

10. It was agreed that a follow-up question would be sent to the Applicant with regards to the information provided on the toxicological studies.

11. Based on the above information, it was agreed that the Secretariat would prepare questions which would be circulated to the AEJEG, prior to being included in an RFI letter to be sent to the Applicant. The authorisation of Blue Algae Extract for use as a new food additive would be revisited upon receipt of the requested additional information.  

12. The Secretariat informed members that in a future meeting the authorisation of Blue Algae Extract for use as a new food additive would be brought back to allow the AEJEG to conclude on the application and then the drafting of the safety advice document to begin.

Item 5: Update on the Extension of use of phosphates (E 338–341, E 343, E 450–452) to a new food category “egg analogues” (RP40) – Group Paper for Discussion

13. Members were presented with the third update paper for Regulated Products Application RP40, a request to extend the use of phosphates to a new food category “egg analogues” which would be further subdivided into solid and liquid egg analogues. The AEJEG initially considered this dossier in their November 2021 meeting. Following this the AEJEG requested further information from the Applicant which was reviewed within their February and April 2023 meetings. Following these meetings, the AEJEG formulated a request for further information. 

14. The AEJEG reviewed the information provided by the Applicant in response to the latest request for information. The AEJEG considered that further information specifically regarding exposure and the calculation of total phosphorus within the products, would be required in order for the AEJEG to determine the safety of the extension of use of phosphates to the category ‘egg analogues’ as described within this Application.

15. Based on the above information, it was agreed that the Secretariat would prepare questions which could be circulated to the AEJEG, prior to being included in an RFI letter to be sent to the Applicant. This item would be revisited upon receipt of the requested additional information.  

Item 6:  Update on the Extension of use of curcumin (E 100) to a new food category “egg analogues” (RP41) – Group Paper for Discussion 

16. Members were presented with an update paper for Regulated Products Application RP41, a request to extend the use of curcumin to a new food category “egg analogues” which would be further subdivided into solid and liquid egg analogues. The AEJEG initially reviewed the application in November 2021. The AEJEG had reviewed the Application in their July 2022, and December 2022 meetings. The AEJEG reviewed the response to a request for information they had received following their December 2022 meeting.

17. The AEJEG reviewed the information provided by the Applicant in response to the latest request for information. The AEJEG considered that further information with regards to the identity of the additive would be required for the AEJEG to assess the safety of the extension of use of curcumin to the category ‘egg analogues’ as described within this application.

18. Based on the above information, it was agreed that the Secretariat would prepare questions which could be circulated to the AEJEG, prior to being included in an RFI letter to be sent to the Applicant. This item would be revisited upon receipt of the requested additional information.

Any other business

19. A Member commented they liked September’s schedule in which the Smoke Flavour Working Group meeting and the standard AEJEG meeting was planned on consecutive days, and enquired if these could both be in person meetings to allow for networking. The Secretariat informed Members this could be considered for next year, but this would be dependent on the budget.

20. A Member disagreed with the above stating two meetings per week would be extremely difficult to fit into schedules as there is lot of work to complete for the AEJEG in addition to a fulltime job. They continued that when planning the meetings if meetings could be held on different days it would minimise with teaching clashes. The Secretariat agreed to take this feedback onboard and suggested sending out preference days ahead of planning next year’s AEJEG meetings. 

21. The Chair informed Members that he was unable to attend one of the smoke flavouring meetings, and that an interim chair would need to be appointed, the Secretariat agreed to look in to arranging this.

Date of next meeting 

22. The next meeting of the AEJEG will be a Smoke Flavouring Working Group hybrid meeting at 10:00 on 7^th September 2023 at Clive House, London and on Microsoft Teams.  

23. This will be followed by the AEJEG meeting on 10:00 on 8^th September 2023 on Microsoft Teams.