FSANZ seeking submissions on bakery processing aid

DuPont Industrial Biosciences (IB) is seeking approval for the use of the enzyme Lipase 3 in baking and brewing processes. Specifically, it will be used for the production of bakery products — including bread, biscuits, cakes, noodles, pancakes, tortillas and waffles — beer and other cereal-based beverages.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for submissions to assist consideration of the company’s draft food regulatory measure.

Lipase 3 is derived from a selected non-pathogenic, non-toxigenic strain of Trichoderma reesei which is genetically modified to overexpress the Lipase 3 gene from Aspergillus niger var. tubingensis.

In baking, it is used during the dough or batter handling to improve the dough stability and dough handling properties, while in brewing processes, it is used in the mashing and fermentation step for removal of the fatty lipids which otherwise affect the mash separation and the yeast fermentation. It will be used as a processing aid where the enzyme is either not present or present in insignificant quantities, having no function in the final food, FSANZ explained.

An oral study on rats found there was no adverse effect at the highest dose of 160.6 mg total protein/kg bw/day or 123.15 mg TOS/kg bw/day. FSANZ concluded there are no public health or safety concerns.

“Lipase 3 has been demonstrated as safe for its intended applications and at the proposed usage levels,” the summary stated. “Approval of this application would provide manufacturers and/or consumers with benefits of facilitating the baking or brewing process, lowering the manufacturing cost and improving quality of final foods.”

Deadline for submissions is 6 pm (Canberra time), 19 March 2019.

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