Info Session | Rethinking Food Enzyme Safety: New Perspectives on Systemic Toxicity Testing and Allergen Homology Search
Background
According to the latest EFSA Scientific Guidance for the submission of dossiers on Food Enzymes (CEP Panel, 2021), the safety assessment of food enzymes includes the evaluation of potential systemic toxicity and allergenicity. Systemic toxicity has traditionally been assessed through a 90-day oral toxicity study in rodents following OECD TG 408, while allergenicity is evaluated primarily by comparing the amino acid sequence of the enzyme with known allergens, source of the food enzyme and substances used to manufacture the food enzyme. Together with dietary exposure, these data support EFSA's conclusion on the safety of the food enzyme under its intended conditions of use.
In line with EU objectives and EFSA policy to reduce animal testing, the EFSA Panel on Food Enzymes initiated a self‑task to investigate the possibility to further reduce 90-day studies for the safety assessment of FE. In parallel, the Panel has developed a new allergenicity bioinformatics pipeline, aiming to provide a harmonised and standardised way to report sequence matches identified during allergenicity assessment. Outputs produced from these two self-tasks will be made available for consultation in November 2026.
To facilitate the public consultation, EFSA is convening a stakeholder meeting to review past systemic toxicity tests and allergenicity homology searches, aiming to reshape the future landscape of food enzyme safety assessment.
Objectives of the meeting
The event offers a comprehensive overview of the established principles, insights gained from field work, and future perspective regarding food enzyme safety assessment.
- Session 1: Allergen homology search bioinformatics pipeline.
- Session 2: Exploration of possibilities to phase out repeated dose 90-day oral toxicity studies in rodents
Structure of the meeting
Session 1 | 25 November 2026 (14:00-18:00 CET)
Session 2 | 26 November 2026 (09:00-13:00 CET)
EFSA will publish the presentations shared after the event.
Who should attend?
The meeting is intended for all interested stakeholders with expertise knowledge and interest in the area of food enzymes safety assessment. Anyone willing to contribute to the reflections on development’s needs and the discussions on the challenges and recommendations for food enzymes safety assessments are encouraged to participate.
Participation is limited to a maximum of 60 participants, including speakers and other experts already identified by EFSA. A further selection will ensure a sufficient representation of the various fields of expertise, as well as representation of stakeholder groups and geographical balance.
On-line registration
The registration form can be found at:
https://events.efsa.europa.eu/event/ar/1122/info-session-rethinking-food-enzyme-safety-2026
Please note that registration may close once the maximum number of participants is reached or, at the latest, by 09 October at 12:00 CEST.
After closure of registration, potential participants will be informed whether they have been selected for participation.
Organisational details
The event will be held in Amsterdam, The Netherlands on 25 November 2026 from 14:00-18:00 (CET) and 26 November 2026 (09:00-13:00 CET). A livestream will be available on this webpage, with no interactive participation for online viewers. Further details will be communicated to selected participants. English will be the language of the event, and no translation will be provided.
There is no fee for participation, however participants are required to cover expenses related to travel and accommodation.
Unauthorised recording, transmission or transcription of the event/meeting, including through the use of Artificial Intelligence tools, is not permitted. Participants are also expected to refrain from any conduct that may disrupt the proper running of the event/meeting, including the use of AI-generated or other content in a manner that interferes with the proceedings. Where such situations arise, the chairperson or organisers may take appropriate measures, such as restricting access to certain functionalities, or removing the participant from the event/meeting.
Contact
Do not hesitate to contact the organising committee at events [at] efsa.europa.eu for more information.
Documents
- The draft programme will be available shortly.