Effects of fresh and used hydrogenated soybean oil on reproduction and teratology in rats

Scientific opinion of Flavouring Group Evaluation 502 (FGE.502): grill flavour 'Grillin' 5078'

The EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids (CEF Panel) was requested to deliver a scientific opinion on the implication for human health of the product Grillin' 5078 [FL-no: 21.003] in the Flavouring Group Evaluation 502, according to Regulation (EC) No 1331/2008 and Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council. The product is derived from heat-treated high oleic sunflower oil and intended to be used as a food flavouring with charbroiled or grilled aroma in a wide variety of food categories either in liquid or powder form. Information on manufacturing and compositional data was considered adequate to show the reproducibility of the production process. However, the Panel noted that a considerable amount of the non-volatile fraction of the product could not be identified. The chronic dietary exposure to the substance estimated using the Added Portions Exposure Technique (APET) was calculated to be 60 mg/person per day for a 60-kg adult and 37.8 mg/person per day for a 15-kg child. The data submitted for evaluating the genotoxic potential of the flavouring was considered insufficient. There are still 12 substances in the flavouring for which the evaluation of genotoxic potential is pending. No toxicity studies have been provided on the final product itself. Only information on a number of constituents of the flavouring and data on toxicity of several thermally treated fats and oils were provided by the applicant. However, the Panel considered the time-temperature conditions that were applied in the preparation of the substances tested as not comparable to those applied in the course of the production of the flavouring. The Panel concluded that on the basis of the data provided by the applicant the safety of Grillin' 5078 cannot be established.

Scientific opinion of Flavouring Group Evaluation 503 (FGE.503): grill flavour 'Grillin' CB-200SF'

The EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids (CEF Panel) was requested to deliver a scientific opinion on the implication for human health of the product Grillin' CB-200SF [FL-no: 21.004] in the Flavouring Group Evaluation 503, according to Regulation (EC) No 1331/2008 and Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council. The product is derived from heat-treated high oleic sunflower oil, and intended to be used as a food flavouring with charbroiled or grilled aroma in a wide variety of food categories either in liquid or powder form. Information on manufacturing and compositional data was considered adequate to show the reproducibility of the production process. However, the Panel noted that a substantial amount of the non-volatile fraction of the product could not be identified. The chronic dietary exposure to the substance estimated using the Added Portions Exposure Technique (APET) was calculated to be 60 mg/person per day for a 60-kg adult and 37.8 mg/person per day for a 15-kg child. The data submitted for evaluating the genotoxic potential of the flavouring was considered insufficient. There are still eight substances in the flavouring for which the evaluation of genotoxic potential is pending. No toxicity studies have been provided on the final product itself. Only information on a number of constituents of the flavouring and data on toxicity of several thermally treated fats and oils were provided by the applicant. However, the Panel considered the time-temperature conditions that were applied in the preparation of the substances tested as not comparable to those applied in the course of the production of the flavouring. The Panel concluded that on the basis of the data provided by the applicant the safety of Grillin' CB-200SF cannot be established.

A 91-day feeding study in rats with heated olestra/vegetable oil blends

A 91-day feeding study in rats was conducted to assess the potential toxicity of heated olestra/vegetable oil blends. Olestra is a mixture of the hexa-, hepta- and octa- long-chain fatty acid esters of sucrose. The blends tested were 35/65 olestra/vegetable oil (w/w), pan-fried at 380 degrees F for 30 min to simulate home-use conditions and 75/25 olestra/vegetable oil, deep-fried at 365 degrees F for 84 hr to simulate extended food-service use. Vegetable oil, prepared using both heating conditions, unheated vegetable oil and unheated olestra/vegetable oil blends served as controls. The olestra/vegetable oil blends and vegetable-oil control were generally fed at 10% (w/w) of the diet. Two further groups received the heated olestra/vegetable oil blends at 5% of the diet. Survival, clinical signs, body weight, feed consumption, feed conversion efficiency, organ weights, organ-to-body-weight ratios, haematological parameters and histomorphology were evaluated. No adverse effects from the ingestion of heated olestra/vegetable oil blends were detected. These findings indicate that heated olestra was non-toxic and, in this respect, no different from unheated olestra or heated or unheated vegetable oil.

Trans fatty acids. 1. Growth, fertility, organ weights and nerve histology and conduction velocity in sows and offspring

Effects of dietary trans fatty acids on the pre- and postnatal growth and development in pigs were studied with special emphasis on nervous tissue. In experiment 1, female pigs were fed partially hydrogenated fish oil (PHFO) (28% trans) or soybean oil (PHSBO) (36% trans), in comparison with lard (0% trans) from weaning (3 wk) through the first reproduction cycle (up to 2 yr). In experiment 2, female pigs were fed two fish oils (33 and 19% trans) in comparison with coconut oil (0% trans) in diets with low and high levels of linoleic acid (18:2n-6 cis, cis) from gestation until their offspring were three wk old. Compared with the trans-free fats, the trans-containing fats had no effect on growth and development, feed consumption and utilization or on the weight of the brain, heart, kidneys, liver, lungs or spleen in the adult sows and their offspring. No effects from the experimental fats were found on histology and conduction velocity of the peroneal nerve. An increased number of the sows fed PHFO had fertility problems compared with those fed lard and PHSBO in Expt. 1, but no similar effects were seen in Expt. 2. It is concluded that consumption of trans fatty acids with 18-22 carbon atoms from PHFO and with 18 carbon atoms from PHSBO at levels that were 5 to 12 times higher than those normally consumed by humans had no detrimental effects on female pigs or their offspring during pregnancy and lactation.

Legume lipids

The storage lipids of legume seeds are a major source of dietary fat. As a result of their importance in the food industry, much is known about lipid composition, chemistry, flavor, off-flavor development, and their technological implications in foods of dry, oil-rich seeds such as soybeans and peanuts. Lipids from green pea have also been investigated to some extent. Other food legume lipids have not been studied in any great detail because of their low lipid content and limited or negligible use for oil purposes. Literature on the biochemical, nutritional, and toxicological aspects of lipids from these other legumes is scanty, compared to published reports of seed lipids from soybean and peanuts. Lipids of soybean, peanut, and green pea are reported in this article. Their chemistry, interactions with other constituents, role in flavor development, as well as alterations due to processing and removal of off-flavors are reviewed. The nutritional and toxicological implications of legume lipids from soybean, peanuts, and other food legumes are also discussed.