Safety evaluation of the food enzyme with β‐glucanase and β‐xylanase activities from the Trichoderma reesei strain DP‐Nya67

Abstract

Abstract The food enzyme with β‐glucanase and β‐xylanase (4‐β‐d‐xylan xylanohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.8) activities is produced with the non‐genetically modified Trichoderma reesei (strain DP‐Nya67) by DuPont. The food enzyme is intended to be used in brewing processes, grain treatment for the production of starch and gluten fractions, and distilled alcohol production. Since residual amounts of the food enzyme are removed by distillation and during grain treatment, dietary exposure was only calculated for brewing processes. Based on the maximum recommended use levels for brewing processes, dietary exposure to the food enzyme–Total Organic Solids (TOS) was estimated to be up to 4.585 mg TOS/kg body weight (bw) per day. Since the compositional data provided was insufficient to characterise the food enzyme batches used for toxicological testing, their suitability for use in the toxicological tests could not be established. As result, the toxicological studies provided were not further considered by the Panel. Similarities of the amino acid sequences to those of known allergens were searched and no 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 to occur is considered to be low. In the absence of compositional data sufficient to characterise the food enzyme batches used for toxicological testing, the Panel is unable to complete its assessment of the safety of the food enzyme.

Keywords

• food enzyme
• β‐glucanase
• EC 3.2.1.6
• β‐xylanase
• EC 3.2.1.8
• Trichoderma reesei