Evaluation of the safety and efficacy of lactic acid to reduce microbiological surface contamination on carcases from kangaroos, wild pigs, goats and sheep

Studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of lactic acid to reduce microbiological surface contamination from carcases of wild game (i.e. kangaroos and wild pigs) and small stock (i.e. goats and sheep) before chilling at the slaughterhouse were assessed. Wild pig and kangaroo hide‐on carcases may have been chilled before they arrive at the slaughterhouse and are treated after removal of the hides. Lactic acid solutions (2–5%) are applied to the carcases at temperatures of up to 55°C by spraying or misting. The treatment lasts 6–7 s per carcass side. The Panel concluded that: [1] the treatment is of no safety concern, provided that the lactic acid complies with the European Union specifications for food additives; [2] based on the available evidence, it was not possible to conclude on the efficacy of spraying or misting lactic acid on kangaroo, wild pig, goats and sheep carcases; [3] treatment of the above‐mentioned carcases with lactic acid may induce reduced susceptibility to the same substance, but this can be minimised; there is currently no evidence that prior exposure of food‐borne pathogens to lactic acid leads to the occurrence of resistance levels that compromise antimicrobial therapy; and [4] the release of lactic acid is not of concern for the environment, assuming that wastewaters released by the slaughterhouses are treated on‐site, if necessary, to counter the potentially low pH caused by lactic acid, in compliance with local rules.

Improving the Environmental Risk Assessment of Substances of Unknown or Variable Composition, Complex Reaction Products, or Biological Materials

Substances of unknown or variable composition, complex reaction products, or biological materials (UVCBs) pose unique risk assessment challenges to regulators and to product registrants. These substances can contain many constituents, sometimes partially unknown and/or variable, depending on fluctuations in their source material and/or manufacturing process. International regulatory agencies have highlighted the difficulties in characterizing UVCBs and assessing their toxicity and environmental fate. Several industrial sectors have attempted to address these issues by developing frameworks and characterization methods. Based on the output of a 2016 workshop, this critical review examines current practices for UVCB risk assessment and reveals a need for a multipronged and transparent approach integrating whole-substance and constituent-based information. In silico tools or empirical measurements can provide information on discrete and/or blocks of UVCB constituents with similar hazard properties. Read-across and/or whole-substance toxicity and fate testing using adapted emerging methods can provide whole-substance information. Continued collaboration of stakeholders representing government, industry, and academia will facilitate the development of practical testing strategies and guidelines for addressing regulatory requirements for UVCBs. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;39:2097-2108. © 2020 Health and Environmental Sciences Institute. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.

The effects of aliphatic alcohols and related acid metabolites in zebrafish embryos - correlations with rat developmental toxicity and with effects in advanced life stages in fish

The zebrafish embryo toxicity test (ZFET) is a simple medium-throughput test to inform about (sub)acute lethal effects in embryos. Enhanced analysis through morphological and teratological scoring, and through gene expression analysis, detects developmental effects and the underlying toxicological pathways. Altogether, the ZFET may inform about hazard of chemical exposure for embryonal development in humans, as well as for lethal effects in juvenile and adult fish. In this study, we compared the effects within a series of 12 aliphatic alcohols and related carboxylic acid derivatives (ethanol, acetic acid, 2-methoxyethanol, 2-methoxyacetic acid, 2-butoxyethanol, 2-butoxyacetic acid, 2-hydroxyacetic acid, 2-ethylhexan-1-ol, 2-ethylhexanoic acid, valproic acid, 2-aminoethanol, 2-(2-hydroxyethylamino)ethanol) in ZFET and early life stage (ELS, 28d) exposures, and compared ZFET results with existing results of rat developmental studies and LC50s in adult fish. High correlation scores were observed between compound potencies in ZFET with either ELS, LC50 in fish and developmental toxicity in rats, indicating similar potency ranking among the models. Compounds could be mapped to specific pathways in an adverse outcome pathway (AOP) network through morphological scoring and gene expression analysis in ZFET. Similarity of morphological effects and gene expression profiles in pairs of alcohols with their acid metabolites suggested metabolic activation of the parent alcohols, although with additional, metabolite-independent activity independent for ethanol and 2-ethylhexanol. Overall, phenotypical and gene expression analysis with these compounds indicates that the ZFET can potentially contribute to the AOP for developmental effects in rodents, and to predict toxicity of acute and chronic exposure in advanced life stages in fish.

Guidance on the assessment of the safety of feed additives for the environment

This guidance document is intended to assist the applicant in the preparation and the presentation of an application, as foreseen in Article 7.6 of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003, for the authorisation of additives used in animal nutrition. It specifically covers the assessment of the safety for the environment.

Draft endorsed by the FEEDAP Panel	2 October 2018
Submitted for public consultation	8 October 2018
End of public consultation	19 November 2018
Adoption by the FEEDAP Panel	27 February 2019
Implementation date	1 September 2019

This publication is linked to the following EFSA Supporting Publications article: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/sp.efsa.2019.EN-1595/full

Evaluation of the safety and efficacy of the organic acids lactic and acetic acids to reduce microbiological surface contamination on pork carcasses and pork cuts

Studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of lactic and acetic acids to reduce microbiological surface contamination on pork carcasses pre-chill and pork meat cuts post-chill were assessed. Lactic acid treatments consisted of 2-5% solutions at temperatures of up to 80°C applied to carcasses by spraying or up to 55°C applied on cuts by spraying or dipping. Acetic acid treatments consisted of 2-4% solutions at temperatures of up to 40°C applied on carcasses by spraying or on cuts by spraying or dipping. The maximum treatment duration was 30 s. The Panel concluded that: [1] the treatments are of no safety concern, provided that the substances comply with the European Union specifications for food additives; [2] spraying of pork carcasses pre-chill with lactic acid was efficacious compared to untreated control, but based on the available data, the Panel could not conclude whether lactic acid was more efficacious than water treatment when spraying of pork carcasses pre-chill or pork meat cuts post-chill. The Panel concluded that dipping of pork meat cuts post-chill in lactic acid was more efficacious than water treatment. However, it could not conclude on the efficacy of acetic acid treatment of pork carcasses pre-chill and/or pork meat cuts post-chill; [3] the potential selection and emergence of bacteria with reduced susceptibility to biocides and/or resistance to therapeutic antimicrobials linked to the use of the substances is unlikely as long as Good Hygienic Practices are implemented; and [4] the release of both organic acids is not of concern for the environment, assuming that wastewaters released by the slaughterhouses are treated, if necessary, to counter the potentially low pH caused by lactic or acetic acid, in compliance with local rules.

Applicability of the fish embryo acute toxicity (FET) test (OECD 236) in the regulatory context of Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH)

In 2013 the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) test guideline (236) for fish embryo acute toxicity (FET) was adopted. It determines the acute toxicity of chemicals to embryonic fish. Previous studies show a good correlation of FET with the standard acute fish toxicity (AFT) test; however, the potential of the FET test to predict AFT, which is required by the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation (EC 1907/2006) and the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation (EC 1272/2008), has not yet been fully clarified. In 2015 the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) requested that a consultant perform a scientific analysis of the applicability of FET to predict AFT. The purpose was to compare the toxicity of substances to fish embryos and to adult fish, and to investigate whether certain factors (e.g., physicochemical properties, modes of action, or chemical structures) could be used to define the applicability boundaries of the FET test. Given the limited data availability, the analysis focused on organic substances. The present critical review summarizes the main findings and discusses regulatory application of the FET test under REACH. Given some limitations (e.g., neurotoxic mode of action) and/or remaining uncertainties (e.g., deviation of some narcotic substances), it has been found that the FET test alone is currently not sufficient to meet the essential information on AFT as required by the REACH regulation. However, the test may be used within weight-of-evidence approaches together with other independent, relevant, and reliable sources of information. The present review also discusses further research needs that may overcome the remaining uncertainties and help to increase acceptance of FET as a replacement for AFT in the future. For example, an increase in the availability of data generated according to OECD test guideline 236 may provide evidence of a higher predictive power of the test. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:657-670. © 2017 SETAC.

How Adverse Outcome Pathways Can Aid the Development and Use of Computational Prediction Models for Regulatory Toxicology

Efforts are underway to transform regulatory toxicology and chemical safety assessment from a largely empirical science based on direct observation of apical toxicity outcomes in whole organism toxicity tests to a predictive one in which outcomes and risk are inferred from accumulated mechanistic understanding. The adverse outcome pathway (AOP) framework provides a systematic approach for organizing knowledge that may support such inference. Likewise, computational models of biological systems at various scales provide another means and platform to integrate current biological understanding to facilitate inference and extrapolation. We argue that the systematic organization of knowledge into AOP frameworks can inform and help direct the design and development of computational prediction models that can further enhance the utility of mechanistic and in silico data for chemical safety assessment. This concept was explored as part of a workshop on AOP-Informed Predictive Modeling Approaches for Regulatory Toxicology held September 24-25, 2015. Examples of AOP-informed model development and its application to the assessment of chemicals for skin sensitization and multiple modes of endocrine disruption are provided. The role of problem formulation, not only as a critical phase of risk assessment, but also as guide for both AOP and complementary model development is described. Finally, a proposal for actively engaging the modeling community in AOP-informed computational model development is made. The contents serve as a vision for how AOPs can be leveraged to facilitate development of computational prediction models needed to support the next generation of chemical safety assessment.

Health effects of toxicants: Online knowledge support

Research in toxicology generates vast quantities of data which reside on the Web and are subsequently appropriated and utilized to support further research. This data includes a broad spectrum of information about chemical, biological and radiological agents which can affect health, the nature of the effects, treatment, regulatory measures, and more. Information is structured in a variety of formats, including traditional databases, portals, prediction models, and decision making support tools. Online resources are created and housed by a variety of institutions, including libraries and government agencies. This paper focuses on three such institutions and the tools they offer to the public: the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and its Toxicology and Environmental Health Information Program, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Reference is also made to other relevant organizations.

Applying Adverse Outcome Pathways (AOPs) to support Integrated Approaches to Testing and Assessment (IATA)

Chemical regulation is challenged by the large number of chemicals requiring assessment for potential human health and environmental impacts. Current approaches are too resource intensive in terms of time, money and animal use to evaluate all chemicals under development or already on the market. The need for timely and robust decision making demands that regulatory toxicity testing becomes more cost-effective and efficient. One way to realize this goal is by being more strategic in directing testing resources; focusing on chemicals of highest concern, limiting testing to the most probable hazards, or targeting the most vulnerable species. Hypothesis driven Integrated Approaches to Testing and Assessment (IATA) have been proposed as practical solutions to such strategic testing. In parallel, the development of the Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) framework, which provides information on the causal links between a molecular initiating event (MIE), intermediate key events (KEs) and an adverse outcome (AO) of regulatory concern, offers the biological context to facilitate development of IATA for regulatory decision making. This manuscript summarizes discussions at the Workshop entitled "Advancing AOPs for Integrated Toxicology and Regulatory Applications" with particular focus on the role AOPs play in informing the development of IATA for different regulatory purposes.