Scientific Opinion on Flavouring Group Evaluation 208 Revision 1 (FGE.208Rev1): Consideration of genotoxicity data on representatives for 10 alicyclic aldehydes with the α,β-unsaturation in ring / side-chain and precursors from chemical subgroup 2.2 of FGE.19

The EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids was requested to evaluate the genotoxic potential of flavouring substances from subgroup 2.2 of FGE.19 in the Flavouring Group Evaluation 208 Revision 1 (FGE.208Rev1). The Flavour Industry has provided additional genotoxicity studies on p-mentha-1,8-dien-7-al [FL-no: 05.117], the representative substance for FGE.19 subgroup 2.2. This substance was tested in vivo in a combined micronucleus assay in bone marrow and Comet assay in liver and duodenum. It did not induce any increase in micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes of the bone marrow of male rats in the micronucleus test and it did not induce DNA damage in duodenum of the same animals as analysed by the Comet assay. The Comet assay performed in liver shows a positive result and therefore the Panel concluded that p-mentha-1,8-dien-7-al [FL-no: 05.117] is genotoxic in vivo and that, accordingly, there is a safety concern for its use as flavouring substance. Since p-mentha-1,8-dien-7-al [FL-no: 05.117] is representative for the nine remaining substances of this subgroup 2.2 (p-mentha-1,8-dien-7-ol [FL-no: 02.060], myrtenol [FL-no: 02.091], myrtenal [FL-no: 05.106], 2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexen-1-carboxaldehyde [FL-no: 05.121], myrtenyl formate [FL-no: 09.272], p-mentha-1,8-dien-7-yl acetate [FL-no: 09.278], myrtenyl acetate [FL-no: 09.302], myrtenyl-2-methylbutyrate [FL-no: 09.899] and myrtenyl-3-methylbutyrate [FL-no: 09.900]), there is a potential safety concern for these substances.