Review article

Safety Regulations of Food Enzymes

Armin Spök ; IFZ – Inter-University Research Centre for Technology, Work and Culture, Schlögelgasse 2, A-8010 Graz, Austria

Abstract

The majority of industrial enzymes available at present is used in food industry. Safety
regulations of food enzymes differ among countries, including fundamental aspects,
whether a pre-market approval is needed and on the level of details, e.g. what particular
information manufacturers have to provide in the course of safety evaluation. Occupational
safety concerns focus on allergenic properties as it is well established that enzymes
are potent inhalative sensitizers and can cause allergic reactions including asthma. Otherwise
toxic substances including bacterial toxins and mycotoxins might also be present in enzyme
isolates and might thus constitute a safety risk to consumers. Safety evaluation procedures seem to be appropriate as no incidents have been reported so far, resulting in suggestion for reduced test packages. Safety precaution and monitoring measures established by industry have also reduced but not entirely eradicated occupational risks. Challenges to regulators and industry arise from unresolved issues, e.g. whether enzymes might be contact sensitizers, and from the lack of harmonisation of both legislation and safety evaluation. In the EU, most food enzymes are not covered by food safety regulations neither on Community nor on national level. On top of this the availability of enzymes with new and unusual properties raises questions of safety. In the EU there seems to be a chance that these challenges will be tackled in the course of establishing a harmonised legislation on food enzymes.

Keywords

food enzymes; enzyme legislation; risk assessment; safety evaluation; food safety

Hrčak ID:

109848

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/109848

Publication date:

15.6.2006.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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