Open AccessSafety evaluation of the food enzyme β‐cyclodextrin glucanotransferase from Escherichia coli strain WCM 105xp CM 6420
Author(s) -
Silano Vittorio,
Barat Baviera José Manuel,
Bolognesi Claudia,
Cocconcelli Pier Sandro,
Crebelli Riccardo,
Gott David Michael,
Grob Konrad,
Lambré Claude,
Lampi Evgenia,
Mengelers Marcel,
Mortensen Alicja,
Rivière Gilles,
Steffensen IngerLise,
Tlustos Christina,
Van Loveren Henk,
Vernis Laurence,
Zorn Holger,
Aguilera Jaime,
Kovalkovicova Natalia,
Liu Yi,
Maia Joaquim,
Chesson Andrew
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
efsa journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.076
H-Index - 97
ISSN - 1831-4732
DOI - 10.2903/j.efsa.2020.6249
Subject(s) - escherichia coli , enzyme , cyclodextrin , food science , generally recognized as safe , strain (injury) , antimicrobial , enterobacteriaceae , biology , food safety , genetically modified organism , biochemistry , plasmid , recombinant dna , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , gene , anatomy
The food enzyme β‐cyclodextrin glucanotransferase ((1→4)‐α‐ d ‐glucan 4‐α‐ d ‐[(1→4)‐α‐ d ‐glucano]‐transferase; EC 2.4.1.19) is produced with a genetically modified Escherichia coli strain WCM 105xp CM 6420 by Wacker Chemie GmbH. The production strain harbours a self‐replicating multicopy plasmid which contains genes conferring resistance to two highly important antimicrobials for human and veterinary medicine. The food enzyme is free from viable cells of the production organism, but not of its recombinant DNA . Therefore, the food enzyme poses a risk of promoting the spread of antimicrobial resistance genes. It is intended to be used in starch processing for the production of γ‐cyclodextrin. Residual amounts of total organic solids are removed by the purification steps applied during the production of γ‐cyclodextrin; consequently, dietary exposure was not calculated. A bacterial reverse mutation test was not considered, because the representativeness of the test material could not be established. No other toxicological tests were provided. In the absence of information about the sequence homology of this β‐cyclodextrin glucanotransferase with known allergens, the Panel could not complete the assessment on the allergenicity of the food enzyme. The Panel concludes that the food enzyme β‐cyclodextrin glucanotransferase produced with the genetically modified E. coli strain WCM 105xp CM 6420 cannot be considered safe.