EFSA undertakes risk assessment on ITX

ITX (Isopropylthioxanthone), a substance utilised in printing inks for certain packaging materials has been recently found in foods including infant formula. On the basis of the very limited data available today, the presence of ITX in food could be considered undesirable but it is not likely to present a health risk at the levels reported. The European Commission has requested that EFSA carry out a risk assessment on ITX. EFSA will provide preliminary advice in the next two weeks and expects to deliver its final opinion no later than March 2006.