EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids (CEF); Scientific Opinion on Flavouring Group Evaluation 17, Revision 3 (FGE.17Rev3): Pyrazine derivatives from chemical group 24

The Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids of the European Food Safety Authority was requested to evaluate 28 flavouring substances in the Flavouring Group Evaluation 17, including seven additional substances considered in this Revision 3, using the Procedure in Commission Regulation (EC) No 1565/2000.

From the in vitro data available, genotoxic potential is indicated for the flavouring substances quinoxaline [FL-no: 14.147] and 2- methylquinoxaline [FL-no: 14.139]. Therefore, the Panel decided that the Procedure could not be applied to these two substances, until adequate data showing absence of genotoxicity are provided.

For one substance [FL-no: 14.051] no intake data are available preventing it from being evaluated through the Procedure. The remaining 25 substances were evaluated through a stepwise approach that integrates information on structure-activity relationships, intake from current uses, toxicological threshold of concern, and available data on metabolism and toxicity.

The Panel concluded that 24 substances [FL-no: 14.057, 14.081, 14.083, 14.084, 14.086, 14.087, 14.091, 14.097, 14.099, 14.101, 14.102, 14.108, 14.109, 14.111, 14.112, 14.113, 14.122, 14.126, 14.127, 14.128, 14.129, 14.148, 14.161 and 14.170] do not give rise to safety concerns at their levels of dietary intake, estimated on the basis of the MSDI approach.

For the remaining substance [FL-no: 14.052], additional toxicity data are required. Besides the safety assessment of these flavouring substances, the specifications for the materials of commerce have also been considered and for one substance [FL-no: 14.102], the composition of mixture has not been specified sufficiently.