Scientific Opinion on the safety and efficacy of primary aliphatic saturated or unsaturated alcohols/aldehydes/acids/acetals/esters with a second primary, secondary or tertiary oxygenated functional group including aliphatic lactones (chemical group 9) when used as flavourings for all animal species

Selective and Sequential Catalytic Chemical Depolymerization and Upcycling of Mixed Plastics

Chemical recycling to monomer (CRM) provides a useful technique to allow for polymer-to-monomer-to-polymer circular economies. A significant challenge remains, however, in the treatment of mixed plastics by CRM in which unselective depolymerization requires either presorting of plastics or purification processes postdepolymerization, both of which add cost to waste plastic processing. We report a simple, yet selective, chemical depolymerization of three commonly used polymers, poly(lactic acid) (PLA), bisphenol A polycarbonate (BPA-PC), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), using inexpensive and readily available common metal salt/organobase dual catalysts. By a judicious choice of catalyst and conditions, selective and sequential depolymerization of mixtures of the polymers was demonstrated. Furthermore, the potential for upcycling of polymers to value-added monomers was explored through the application of alternative nucleophiles within the depolymerization.

Aromas: Lovely to Smell and Nice Solvents for Polyphenols? Curcumin Solubilisation Power of Fragrances and Flavours

Natural aromas like cinnamaldehyde are suitable solvents to extract curcuminoids, the active ingredients found in the rhizomes of Curcuma longa L. In a pursuit to find other nature-based solvents, capable of solving curcumin, forty fragrances and flavours were investigated in terms of their solubilisation power. Aroma compounds were selected according to their molecular structure and functional groups. Their capabilities of solving curcumin were examined by UV-Vis spectroscopy and COSMO-RS calculations. The trends of these calculations were in accordance with the experimental solubilisation trend of the solubility screening and a list with the respective curcumin concentrations is given; σ-profiles and Gibbs free energy were considered to further investigate the solubilisation process of curcumin, which was found to be based on hydrogen bonding. High curcumin solubility was achieved in the presence of solvent (mixtures) with high hydrogen-bond-acceptor and low hydrogen-bond-donor abilities, like γ- and δ-lactones. The special case of DMSO was also examined, as the highest curcumin solubility was observed with it. Possible specific interactions of selected aroma compounds (citral and δ-hexalactone) with curcumin were investigated via 1H NMR and NOESY experiments. The tested flavours and fragrances were evaluated regarding their potential as green alternative solvents.

Safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of lactic acid produced by Weizmannia coagulans (synonym Bacillus coagulans) DSM 32789 for all animal species except for fish (Jungbunzlauer SA)

Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of lactic acid produced by a non‐genetically modified strain of Weizmannia coagulans (synonym of Bacillus coagulans) (DSM 32789) for all animal species except for fish. The production strain qualifies for the QPS approach for safety assessment. Although uncertainty remains concerning the possible presence of viable cells and/or spores of the production strain in the final product, this does not raise safety concerns for the target species, humans and the environment. The lactic acid is safe at 50,000 mg/kg complete feed for functional ruminants and pigs and at 20,000 mg/kg feed for all the other animal species and categories except for pre‐ruminants for which a safe level cannot be established. The corresponding safe levels in water for drinking would be 15,000 mg/L water for pigs and 8,000 mg/L for other non‐ruminant species. Although no safe concentration of lactic acid in water for drinking for ruminants can be derived, the Panel considers that the use in water for drinking is safe in ruminants when the total daily intake of the additive does not exceed the daily amount that is considered safe when consumed via feed. The use of the additive under assessment in animal nutrition is considered safe for the consumers and for the environment. It is considered corrosive to the skin, eyes and mucous membranes. Lactic acid is used in food as a preservative. It is reasonable to expect that the effect seen in food will be observed in feed when it is used at comparable concentrations and conditions. However, the FEEDAP Panel has reservations about its effectiveness as a preservative in complete feed with a moisture content of ≤ 12%.

Safety of 31 flavouring compounds belonging to different chemical groups when used as feed additives for all animal species

Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety of 31 compounds belonging to different chemical groups, when used as sensory additives in feed for all animal species. Twenty-two out of the 31 compounds were tested in tolerance studies in chickens for fattening, piglets and cattle for fattening. For the remaining nine compounds, read across from structurally similar compounds was proposed. No adverse effects were observed in the tolerance studies at 10-fold the intended level. The FEEDAP Panel concluded that the 22 compounds are safe for these species at the proposed use level and conclusions were extrapolated to all animal species for all the compounds except for α-damascone [07.134]. In the absence of data that would allow the FEEDAP Panel to rule out the genotoxicity concern, the FEEDAP Panel cannot extend the conclusions for α-damascone [07.134] to all animal species and cannot conclude on the safety for the consumer, the user and the environment. No safety concern would arise for the consumer from the use of the remaining 30 compounds up to the highest levels considered safe for target animals. The revised maximum safe levels for the 30 compounds are not expected to further impact on the previous conclusions on user safety. The concentrations considered safe for the target species are unlikely to have detrimental effects on the environment for all the compounds except β-damascone [07.083] and (E)-β-damascone [07.224], for which in the absence of ecotoxicity data, the FEEDAP Panel cannot conclude on the safety for the terrestrial compartments. For the marine environment, the safe use level for 2-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-ol [02.035], α-irone [07.011], β-damascone [07.083] and (E)-β-damascone [07.224], phenethyl isovalerate [09.466], 4-(p-hydroxyphenyl) butan-2-one [07.055] and 2-isopropyl-4-methylthiazole [15.026] is confirmed to be 0.05 mg/kg.