While insect consumption by humans or entomophagy has been traditionally practiced in various countries over generations and represents a common dietary component of various animal species (birds, fish, mammals), farming of insects for human food and animal feed is relatively recent. Production of this ‘mini-livestock’ brings with it several potential benefits and challenges. The objective of this document is to provide the reader with an overview of the various food safety issues that could be associated with edible insects. The intended audiences of this publication are food safety professionals, policymakers, researchers, insect producers as well as consumers. The regulatory frameworks that govern production, trade and consumption of insects in various regions are discussed. The document ends with elucidating some other...

Since the 48th session of Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH) noted the importance of water safety and quality in food production and processing, FAO and WHO has undertaken the work on this subject. This report describes the output of the third in a series of meetings, which examined appropriate and fit-for-purpose microbiological criteria for water used with fresh fruit and vegetables. The advice herein will support decision making when applying the concept of fit-for-purpose water for use in the pre- and post-harvest production of fresh fruit and vegetables.

This Chemical and Technical Assessment (CTA) summarizes the information on benzoic acid (INS No. 210) and its salts such as sodium benzoate (INS No. 211), potassium benzoate (INS No. 212) and calcium benzoate (INS No. 213) that are synthetic antimicrobial preservatives. They are allowed as food additives in the EU, Japan, USA, and other regions. The specifications for benzoic acid and its salts were prepared at the 17th JECFA (1973) and metals and arsenic specifications were revised at the 63rd JECFA (2004). A group ADI 0-5 mg/kg bw for benzoic acid and its salts was established at the 27th JECFA (1983). The ADI was withdrawn and re-established to 0-20 mg/kg for benzoic acid, its salts (calcium, potassium and sodium), benzaldehyde,...

This Chemical and Technical Assessment summarizes data and information on the beta-glucanase enzyme preparation from Streptomyces violaceoruber expressing a beta-glucanase gene from the same species (beta-glucanase enzyme preparation) that was submitted to JECFA. This document also discusses published information relevant to the safety of beta-glucanase enzyme, including the S. violaceoruber production organism and details related to the manufacturing, specifications, use and use levels of the enzyme in food. This document uses the expression “beta-glucanase” to refer to the modified enzyme and its amino acid sequence, and the expression “beta-glucanase enzyme preparation” to refer to the products formulated for commercial use.

This Chemical and Technical Assessment summarizes data and information on the collagenase enzyme preparation from Streptomyces violaceoruber expressing a collagenase gene from the same species (collagenase enzyme preparation) that was submitted to JECFA. This document also discusses published information relevant to the safety of collagenase enzyme, including the S. violaceoruber production organism and details related to the manufacturing, specifications, use and use levels of the enzyme in food. This document uses the expression “collagenase” to refer to the modified enzyme and its amino acid sequence, and the expression “collagenase enzyme preparation” to refer to the product formulated for commercial use.

This Chemical and Technical Assessment summarizes data and information on riboflavin from Ashbya gossypii submitted to the Committee of the 89th JECFA meeting by BASF1 in a dossier dated 15 December 2019.The Committee evaluated riboflavin for the first time in 1959 (4th meeting) and published purity criteria for a product containing at least 98% of riboflavin "extracted from natural sources or manufactured synthetically”. A comprehensive safety evaluation followed in 1969 (13th meeting) as part of the work on “Food Colours Derived from Natural Sources”. Routes of production were not mentioned; the ADI was derived from a toxicological study published in 1942. Applying a safety factor of 100 to the No Observed Effect Level of 50 mg/kg bw/d from the...

This Chemical and Technical Assessment summarizes data and information on the Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) enzyme preparation from Streptomyces violaceoruber expressing a PLA2 gene from the same species (PLA2 enzyme preparation) that was submitted to JECFA. This document also discusses published information relevant to the safety of PLA2 enzyme, including the S. violaceoruber production organism and details related to the manufacturing, specifications, use and use levels of the enzyme in food. This document uses the expression “PLA2” to refer to the modified enzyme and its amino acid sequence, and the expression “PLA2 enzyme preparation” to refer to the product formulated for commercial use.

This Chemical and Technical Assessment summarizes data and information on the Ribonuclease P enzyme preparation from Penicillium citrinum (strain designation AE-RP) that was submitted to JECFA. This document also discusses published information relevant to the safety of the ribonuclease P enzyme, including the P. citrinum AE-RP production strain and details related to the manufacturing, specifications, use and use levels of the enzyme in food. This document uses the expression “ribonuclease P” to refer to the modified enzyme and its amino acid sequence, and the expression “ribonuclease P enzyme preparation” to refer to the product formulated for commercial use. Data and information related to Ribonuclease P from a second production strain, P. citrinum RP-4, was also submitted to JECFA for evaluation....

The 'Information toolkit on food biotechnologies with a focus on food safety' serves as a basis to assist countries in addressing the general public’s concerns on food biotechnology and food safety, to support them in raising awareness of the science of food biotechnologies and food safety and to inform discussions and decisions. It consists of one handbook providing an instruction manual for the whole set of documents and ten booklets, referred to as tools, that cover background information, general information on the scientific aspects of food biotechnologies and food safety, the rationale behind the claimed benefits of genetically modified (GM) foods, GM food safety assessments and regulations.

The third in a series of three meetings of an ad hoc Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation on Risk Assessment of Food Allergens was held from 18 to 29 October 2021, with an additional day for the report finalization and adoption on 3 November 2021. The main purpose of this third meeting was to review and evaluate the evidence in support of precautionary labelling