Subspecies limitation on glycerol ester of wood rosin
5.4.2021
Question for written answer E-001824/2021
to the Commission
Rule 138
Maria Spyraki (PPE)
In June 2018, the 86[1] Session of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) adopted the CL 2016/13-FA CODEX priority list proposal to remove the limitation on pine subspecies as sources of wood rosin destined for glycerol esters of wood rosin (GEWR, E 445), recognising the natural variability of the composition of wood rosin.
On 26 July 2018, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published its re‑evaluation opinion on GEWR, which backtracked on the issue of pine subspecies as sources of wood rosin, on which the Commission later published a call[2] that is also centred on subspecies.
Taking into account that:
the July 2018 EFSA document cites outdated JECFA specifications instead of the amended 3 July 2018 standards, in which JECFA abandons the subspecies limitation;
in response to written question E-009731/2016, the Commission underlines that EFSA will re‑evaluate GEWR and that avoidance of discrepancies in safety assessments is of utmost importance;
putting limitations on source material would increase sustainability pressure on a single pine species (pinus palustris).
Can the Commission answer the following questions:
- 1.Does the application of the subspecies limitation on behalf of EFSA create a discrepancy in safety assessments when compared with the one adopted in the CL 2016/13-FA CODEX priority list?
- 2.Is the subspecies limitation compatible with Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, which stipulates that the approval of food additives must take into account environmental factors such as biodiversity loss?