Alpha-linolenic acid-enriched diacylglycerol oil does not promote tumor development in tongue and gastrointestinal tract tissues in a medium-term multi-organ carcinogenesis bioassay using male F344 rat

Glyceryl Diesters

The Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety reviewed newly available studies since their original assessment in 2002, along with updated information regarding product types and concentrations of use, and confirmed that these 17 glyceryl diesters are safe as cosmetic ingredients in the practices of use and concentration as described in this report.

Opinion on the re-evaluation of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E 471) as food additive in foods for infants below 16 weeks of age and follow-up of their re-evaluation as food additives for uses in foods for all population groups

Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E 471) was re-evaluated in 2017 by the former EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient sources added to Food (ANS). As a follow-up to this assessment, the Panel on Food Additives and Flavouring was requested to assess mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E 471) for its use as food additive in food for infants below 16 weeks of age belonging to food categories 13.1.1 (Infant formulae) and 13.1.5.1 (Dietary foods for infants for special medical purposes and special formulae for infants). In addition, the FAF Panel was requested to address the issues already identified during the re-evaluation of the food additive in 2017 when used in food for the general population. The Panel considered that there is no indication of adverse effects from the available animal studies at the highest dose tested and from the post marketing data. A comparison was made between the daily exposure to the sum of mono- and di-acylglycerols from breast milk and that resulting from the use of E 471 in the infant formula. The Panel noted that the resulting exposures are in the same order of magnitude. Overall, the Panel concluded that there is no reason for a safety concern when E 471 used as food additive in FC 13.1.1 and 13.1.5.1 and according to the Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008. The risk assessment for toxic elements and impurities clearly indicated the need to lower the current maximum limits for arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury and to include limits for glycidyl esters, 3-monochloropropane diol and erucic acid in the EU specifications of E 471.

Effects of dietary alpha-linolenic acid-enriched diacylglycerol oil on embryo/fetal development in rats

Recent studies suggest that diets supplemented with alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)-enriched diacylglycerol (DAG) oil provide potential health benefits in preventing or managing obesity. However, available safety information about reproductive and developmental toxicities of ALA-DAG oil is limited. This study was conducted to clarify the effect, if any, of ALA-DAG oil on embryo-fetal development, following maternal exposure during the critical period of major organogenesis. ALA-DAG oil was administered via gavage to pre-mated female Sprague Dawley rats from gestation day 6 through 19, at dose levels of 0, 1.25, 2.5, and 5.0 mL/kg/day (equivalent to 0, 1149, 2325, and 4715 mg/kg/day, respectively), with total volume adjusted to 5 mL/kg/day with rapeseed oil. All females survived to the scheduled necropsy. There were no treatment-related changes in clinical or internal findings, maternal body weights, feed consumption, intrauterine growth, survival, and number of implantations. No ALA-DAG oil-related fetal malformations or developmental variations were noted. A maternal maximum tolerated dose for ALA-DAG oil could not be achieved in this study. Based on these results, a dose level of 5.0 mL/kg (4715 mg/kg/day), the highest dose tested, was considered as the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) for both maternal and developmental toxicity.