Health Scientific Committees Scientific Committee on Food Outcome of discussions

Minutes Of The 116 ^th Meeting Of The Scientific Committee on Food - held on 24th March 1999 In Brussels

ATTENDANCE LIST

LISTE DES PARTICIPANTS

TEILNEHMERLISTE

Members/Membres/Mitglieder

Mme. S. BARLOW

MM. D. BOSKOU

A. CARERE

I. ELMADFA (2 ^nd. Vice-Chairman, Vice-President, Stellv. Vorsitzender)

Mme. A. FERRO-LUZZI

MM. A. FLYNN

R. FRIES

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

P. TOBBACK

J.-M. WAL

Apologies/Excusés/Entschuldigt

MM. W. SARIS

P. VERGER

Commission/Kommission

MM. A. KLEPSCH (DG III/E/1)

O. ROHTE (DG III/E/1)

M. MISCHENDAHL (DG III/E/2)

J. ALEGRE (DG III/E/2)

Mme. M.-P. DARCHY (DG III/E/2)

MM B. MATHIOUDAKIS (DG III/E/1)

L. ROSSI (DG III/E/1)

S. BAUER (DG XXIV)

Mme. S.VLACHOU-ZANELI (DG XXIV)

Secretariat/Secrétariat/Sekretariat

MM. M. A. GRANERO ROSELL (DG XXIV/B/3)

D. PETTAUER (DG XXIV/B/3)

Mme. J. THOLLEBEKE (DG XXIV/B/3)

1. Apologies for absence

The apologies for absence 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 115 ^th meeting

- status of new requests for opinions since the last meeting

The secretariat informed about a new dossier on novel foods. It concerns phospholipids from egg yolk.

5. Nutrients

- 5.1 Draft opinion on substances requested for nutritional purposes which may be used in the manufacture of foods for particular nutritional purposes ('PARNUTS')

The Committee was asked to advise on the establishment of a list of substances with specific nutritional purposes (vitamins, minerals, trace elements, amino acids and other substances) intended to be added to foodstuffs for particular nutritional uses (dietetic foods), and, where appropriate, the conditions under which they should be used. This would be used by the Commission to draw up a framework list as required under Directive 89/398/EEC on dietetic foods. A number of the specific Commission directives adopted within this framework Council Directive already list appropriate substances.

The draft opinion presented to the plenary was the result of work firstly undertaken by the Working Group on Nutrition and then supplemented from the toxicological point of view by the Working Group on Additives.

The text of the draft opinion was considered by the Committee. A certain number of amendments were discussed. Subject to the incorporation of the amendments agreed the text of the opinion was adopted. The full text was adopted by written procedure on 12 May 1999.

The full text of the opinion is attached as Annex I to these minutes.

6. Additives

- 6.1. Draft opinion on propane, butane and iso-butane as propellant gases for vegetable oil-based aerosol cooking sprays and water-based emulsion cooking sprays

The Committee had been asked to advise the Commission on the safety in use of propane, butane and iso-butane as hydrocarbon propellant gases for vegetable oil-based aerosol cooking sprays and for water-based emulsion cooking sprays.

The Rapporteur introduced the draft opinion prepared within the Additives Working Group. The question of the safety in use was discussed by the Committee. Subject to small changes the text of the opinion was adopted by the Committee.

The full text of this opinion is attached as Annex II to these minutes.

- 6.2 Draft opinion on ethylhydroxyethyl cellulose (Addendum to the "Opinion on re-evaluation of five modified celluloses" of 13 March 1992)

The Chair of the Working Group introduced the draft opinion. The question of the safety in use was discussed by the Committee. The text was adopted without amendments by the Committee.

The full text of this opinion is attached as Annex III to these minutes.

- 6.3 Progress report from the Working Group

Due to lack of time, this question was deferred to the next plenary.

7. Food Contact Materials

- 7.1. Draft opinion on Bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE)

Bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE) was previously evaluated by the Committee in November 1986 and in June 1996 as a monomer used in the production of plastic food contact materials. The Committee had been asked to re-evaluate this substance in view of new information.

The Chair of the Working Group introduced the draft opinion prepared by the Working Group. The Chair also informed that the Working Group was made aware that industry replaced for some applications BADGE with other products. The Working Group, through the Commission services, is enquiring for more information.

The Committee examined the text and considered some items regarding its contents. Some amendments were suggested.

The full text of the opinion is attached as Annex IV to these minutes.

The Committee wished to express its thanks to the Working Group for the considerable amount of effort involved in the examination of this complex dossier.

- 7.2. Draft opinion on an additional list of monomers and additives for food contact materials

The chair of the Working Group introduced the text of the draft list of substances examined by the Working Group. This list is the usual outcome of the current on-going program of the Group. The evaluations in the text were considered.

The full text of the opinion is attached as Annex V to these minutes.

8. Novel Foods

- 8.1. Discussion and possible adoption of a draft opinion concerning a list of products which do not require labelling as they do not contain detectable traces of DNA or protein (Implementation of Regulation 1139/98 on labelling of novel foods)

The Committee was asked to give its opinion concerning the scientific basis for determining whether food products derived from genetically modified soya and genetically modified maize could be included in a list of food products which do not require labelling because they do not contain detectable traces of DNA or protein resulting from genetic modification.

The Committee noted that whilst scientific aspects were of relevance, there were no safety issues that needed consideration in addressing this matter. The Committee reiterated its previous statement ⁽¹⁾ on safety of novel foods.

The rapporteur introduced the draft report from the Working Group on Novel Foods.

Although the Committee did not have sufficient time to conclude its discussion, it felt that the availability of adequate analytical methods was a prerequisite to including particular products e.g. refined oils and hydrolysed starch products, in such a list. The discussion will be continued at the next meeting.

_____________________

⁽¹⁾ SCF 1997: Opinion on the relationship between scientific data and the labelling of genetically modified foods and their derived products. http://ec.europa.eu/dg24/health/sc/oldcomm7/out15_en.html (In this opinion the Committee ".... emphasised that all novel foods accepted as being in accordance with requirements of the SCF's [previous] opinions on the assessment of novel foods [.....] are, on the basis of current knowledge, safe for human consumption.")

9. Food Hygiene and Microbiology

- Discussion and possible adoption of a report on criteria for safety evaluations for additives produced by microbiological processes

- progress report from the Working Group

These items were deferred to next session due to lack of time.

10. Contaminants

- progress report from the Working Group

This item was deferred to next session due to lack of time

11. Flavourings

- Membership of Task Force

According to Article 4 (1) of Regulation (EC) N° 2232/96 for the evaluation of flavouring substances a procedure for the safety evaluation of chemically defined flavouring substances has to be established. The Scientific Committee on Food will play a major role in advising the Commission on the scientific issues related to this task.

The SCF agreed to set up a task force, which shall prepare a draft opinion on a procedure for the evaluation of flavours. A chairman of the task force was appointed.

12. Review of the SCF 1998-2001 Working Programme

This item was deferred to next session due to lack of time. An updated paper was circulated by the Secretariat.

13. Review of schedule of SCF meetings for 1999

An updated schedule was circulated by the secretariat.

14. SCF - Organisational matters

Dietmar Pettauer joined the Secretariat in February 1999.

15. Any other business

The Chairman mentioned the request by the Scientific Committee on Plants to contribute to their work on pesticides residues and contamination by mycotoxins. The work and the evaluations carried out by the SCF on mycotoxins such as aflatoxins and ochratoxin A would be very helpful. The chairman of the Working Group on contaminants agreed to contribute to this work of the SCP.

The Chairman circulated a paper concerning the work being started in IPCS concerning the principles and methods for the assessments of risk from essential trace elements, which might be relevant for the Task Force on Upper Levels for Minerals and Vitamins.

16. Adoption of these minutes

These minutes were adopted at the 117 ^th SCF plenary session on 16/17 June 1999.

ANNEXES

ANNEX I:

Opinion on substances for nutritional purposes which have been proposed for use in the manufacture of foods for particular nutritional purposes ('parnuts')

ANNEX II:

Opinion on propane, butane and iso-butane as propellant gases for vegetable oil-based aerosol cooking sprays and water-based emulsion cooking sprays

ANNEX III:

Opinion on ethylhydroxyethyl cellulose (Addendum to the "Opinion on re-evaluation of five modified celluloses" of 13 March 1992)

ANNEX IV:

Opinion on Bisphenol A diglycidylether (BADGE)

ANNEX V:

Opinion on an additional list of monomers and additives for food contact materials

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