Safety evaluation of the food enzyme glucan 1,4-α-glucosidase from Aspergillus niger.

The food enzyme glucan 1,4-α-glucosidase (4-α-d-glucan glucohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.3) is produced with a non-genetically modified strain of Aspergillus niger by Beijing Shifa Technology & Trade Co., Ltd. The food enzyme is intended to be used in baking processes, cereal-based processes, brewing processes, fruit and vegetable processing for juice production, distilled alcohol production, starch processing for the production of glucose syrups and other starch hydrolysates, and yeast processing. In the absence of data sufficient to characterise the source of food enzyme, its method of production, its chemical characterization and its potential allergenicity, coupled with the absence of study reports for toxicological data and insufficient information about food manufacturing processes, the Panel was unable to assess the safety of the food enzyme glucan 1,4-α-glucosidase from an unknown strain of Aspergillus niger.