Health Scientific Committees Scientific Committee on Food Outcome of discussions

Minutes of the 115 ^th meeting of the Scientific Committee on Food held on 20-21st January 1999 in Brussels

ATTENDANCE LIST - LISTE DES PARTICIPANTS - TEILNEHMERLISTE

Members/Membres/Mitglieder

Mme. S. BARLOW, MM. D. BOSKOU, Mme. A. FERRO-LUZZI, Mr. W. GRUNOW, Mme. A. KNAAP (1 ^st. Vice-Chairman, Vice-President, Stellv. Vorsitzender), MM. I. KNUDSEN (Chairman, President, Vorsitzender), S. LINDGREN, B. MOSELEY, A. PALOU, W. SARIS, P. TOBBACK, P. VERGER, J.-M. WAL

Apologies/Excusés/Entschuldigt

MM. A. CARERE, I. ELMADFA, A. FLYNN, R. FRIES

Commission/Kommission

M. O. ROHTE (DG III/E/1), M. B. MATHIOUDAKIS (DG III/E/1), M. D. SEITE (DG III/E/1), MME. K.JANSSON (DG III/E/1), M. MILLEROT (DG XV/D/1), MME. PHILIPSON (DG XV/D/2), M. PETTAUER (JRC, Ispra)

Secretariat/Secrétariat/Sekretariat

Mr. M. A. GRANERO ROSELL (DG XXIV/B/3), Mme. J. THOLLEBEKE (DG XXIV/B/3)

1. Apologies for absence

The absences were noted.

2. Adoption of the agenda

The agenda was adopted.

3. Declarations of interest

No interests were declared.

4. Matters arising from the minutes of the 114 ^th meeting - Doc XXIV/2517/98

- Status of new requests for opinions since the last meeting

5. Additives

- Draft opinion on caffeine, taurine and glucuronolactone in so called "energy" drinks

The rapporteur introduced the report prepared by the Working Group on additives. The draft opinion was examined in detail. A number of issues reflected in the text were discussed. The Committee finalised the conclusions. The changes to the text considered were agreed. The full opinion appears as Annex I to these minutes.

6. Contaminants

- Draft opinion on dietary exposure to certain aromatic hydrocarbons (benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene, xylenes, styrene)

The draft opinion was examined by the Committee. After a thorough examination and a discussion on the different sections, some amendments were introduced. Subject to the inclusion of these amendments the opinion was adopted. The final text of the opinion is attached as Annex II.

7. Flavours

- Review of progress

The Chairman reported on the session on flavourings which had taken place the 20 ^th of January. The participants had been informed about the status of the register of flavourings substances to be published soon in the Official Journal. The Group also had examined the past work of the SCF in this area and in particular the previous opinion of 1991 laying down the guidelines for the assessment of chemically defined flavourings. Reference was made also to the work done within the SCF, the Scientific Cooperation and the work in other international bodies regarding evaluation of these substances. Some organizational details relating to the workshop scheduled for March were also examined by the Committee.

8. Review of the SCF 1998-2001 Working Programme

- consideration of likely completion of dossiers

As a follow-up of the previous meeting the secretariat circulated an updated version of the working programme. It was agreed to use this new version to lay down the likely time frames for the completion of the pending tasks by the Working Groups for the reporting to the plenary. The Working Groups were asked to submit this information as soon as possible.

9. Schedule of SCF meetings for 1999

- Revision of some dates

The Secretariat reported on the announcements made to the participants of the forthcoming meetings on upper levels and contaminants that these meetings had to be cancelled because of lack of sufficient secretarial resources. The schedule had to be modified accordingly. Although the secretariat together with the participants of the meetings will try to ensure that the cancellation of these two meetings would not delay the work of the committee, members expressed the concern that the likely completion of some dossiers would be affected.

10. SCF - Organisational matters

- 10.1. Follow-up on the use of e-mail by the SCF guidelines on the use of e-mail

The preferred formats for circulating documents in the Committee were discussed. In general, documents subject to contributions from different members and circulated by the secretariat would be preferably in Word 6.0/95. The use of pdf format for other types of documents would be tested in the coming months.

The members also had the opportunity to examine individual questions with Mr. Merlini, the person supporting the extension of the use of e-mail in the SCF within the framework of the IDA project.

11. Any other business

An updated status report (up to 3/12/98) on the Scientific Cooperation was distributed at the meeting.

There were no any other business to record in the minutes.

12. Adoption of these minutes

These minutes were adopted at the 116 ^th meeting of the SCF.

ANNEXES

ANNEX I:

Opinion on caffeine, taurine and D-glucurono- g -lactone as constituents of so-called "energy" drinks

ANNEX II:

Opinion on certain aromatic hydrocarbons present in food

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