The European Commission and European Union member states have decided to ban the flavoring substance 3-acetyl-2,5-dimethylthiophene over safety concerns.
The decision to remove this substance from the list of approved flavorings was supported by all member states and will now be subject to scrutiny by the European Parliament and Council. It is expected to be adopted by the European Commission and come into force in early July.
This move comes after European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published a scientific opinion and press release on 16 May which noted that flavouring substance 3-acetyl-2,5-dimethylthiophene is genotoxic ( can damage DNA, the genetic material of cells) and therefore presents a safety concern for human health.
Genotoxic substances should not be intentionally added to the food chain, the report added.
According to EFSA, the possible risk to consumers who may have been exposed to this substance in food is expected to be very small.
The substance 3-Acetyl-2,5-dimethylthiophene is used to give food a burnt nutty flavor. It is produced by a small number of producers and its overall use is low - the total annual use in the EU is reported to be 2.3kg.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has been informed that the UK food industry uses only a small amount of this substance and is already reformulating foods that contain 3-acetyl-2,5-dimethylthiophene.
