Minutes of the 19th October 2023 meeting-AEJEG

Meeting of the Committee at 10:00 on Thursday 19th October 2023 via Microsoft Teams   

Contents  

Interests   

1. No conflicts of interest were declared.

Item 1: Apologies for absence     

2. Apologies were received from Dr Olwenn Martin who could not attend between 12 – 2.30.  

Item 2: Minutes from the last meeting    

3. Members were presented with the minutes of the AEJEG meeting held on 8th September 2023.   

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

Item 3: Application for the authorisation of soy leghemoglobin derived from Pichia pastoris as a flavouring precursor for plant-based meat alternatives in the United Kingdom (RP733)  

5. The AEJEG was presented with and asked to evaluate the Applicant’s response to a request for further information (RFI) for application RP733 received on the 12th of September. This is an application for the authorisation of soy legume haemoglobin (shortened to soy leghemoglobin) derived from Pichia pastoris (P. pastoris) for use as a flavouring precursor for plant-based meat alternatives in the United Kingdom (UK). The RFI was sent following the meeting of the AEJEG on the 7th of July.  

6. The AEJEG reviewed the response provided by the Applicant in their RFI which has questioned the Applicant on areas of product identification, exposure, thermal degradation, toxicity, and clarification on abbreviations used. Whilst Members were satisfied with the clarifications on exposure and abbreviations, the JEG requested further information regarding product identification and toxicology.  

Item 4: Authorisation of 2-methyl-1-(2-(5-(p-tolyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl)piperidin-1-yl)butan-1-one for use as a new flavouring substance (RP1330)  

7. The AEJEG considered the application for authorisation of 2-methyl-1-(2-(5-(p-tolyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl)piperidin-1-yl)butan-1-one hereinafter referred to as GR-50-6449, for use as a new flavouring substance at a maximum use level of 100 ppm in the food category chewing gum.  RP1330 had first been presented to the AEJEG on 19th October 2022 and returned to the AEJEG on 25th April 2023. In both meetings request for further information (RFI’s) were raised.   

8. The AEJEG was presented with and asked to evaluate the Applicant’s most recent response to a request for further information (RFI) received on 15th September 2023. The RFI was sent following a discussion on the 25th of April 2023 in which Members agreed that further clarification on impurities was needed. The AEJEG also raised concerns with the TTC level calculated for children and did not deem the NOAEL level derived as acceptable. The AEJEG requested further information and data to be provided using in silico and in vitro assays in order to eliminate concerns for at risk groups such as children and pregnant women.   

9. The AEJEG were satisfied with the applications clarification on impurities and accepted the analytical data provided by the Applicant. However, Members required further clarification on exposure and toxicology sections of the dossier.  

10. 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.   

Any other Business    

11. Members voiced concerns with the use of the phrase ‘a Member’ within the minutes. There was agreement amongst AEJEG members that unless disagreement was explicitly voiced by one or more other members, silence was implied agreement. The Secretariat commented that the phrase would still be used to maintain transparency if it was a comment that only one Member had raised, and others had not agreed with.  

12. The Secretariat reminded Members to claim all AEJEG related expenses within the 90-day claims window and that help can be provided if Members have time-related issues completing the necessary forms.  

Date of next meeting  

13. Members were reminded that the next standard AEJEG meeting would be held on Thursday the 14th of December.