26. The Committee noted that no maximum levels for food additives have been submitted for endorsement since its last Session. The Committee was informed that Canada had submitted technological justification for the use of Pimaricin (235) in Sliced, Cut, Shredded or Grated Cheese as requested by the 31st Session of the Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants[13] and the 3rd Session of the Codex Committee on Milk and Milk Products[14].
27. The Delegation of Canada informed the Committee that Pimaricin (Natamycin) was used as a yeast and mould inhibitor to increase the shelf life of the product and that JECFA had established an ADI of 0-0.3 mg/kg body weight for Pimaricin. It was further explained that Pimaricin was approved for use as an antimycotic in Canada on whole cheese as well as grated cheese and that ingestion of Pimaricin residues when added to grated cheese was unavoidable. As Pimaricin was a fungicidal which inhibited the growth of fungi and mold but had no effect on bacteria, the delegation expressed the view that antibiotic resistance of fungi in the human gut being exposed to Pimaricin due to cheese consumption was extremely low and that therefore the use of pimaricin in grated cheese posed minimal risk.
28. Several delegations expressed safety concerns about the extended use of Pimaricin due to its low ADI and the potential for development of increased resistance by moulds and reiterated that it should only be permitted as a surface treatment to whole cheese. Other delegations affirmed that extended uses of Pimaricin were well within the ADI.
29. The Committee decided not to endorse the use of Pimaricin in Sliced, Cut, Shredded or Grated Cheese, pending the reevaluation of Pimaricin by JECFA (see Appendix XVI).
