EFSA E 551 Opinion Expected in July

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has recently re-evaluated E 551, also known as Synthetic Amorphous Silica (SAS), a widely used essential food additive. The opinion was adopted by the EFSA Panel in June and is expected to be publicly released by the end of July.

ASASP collaborated with EFSA throughout the entire re-evaluation process, providing extensive data and studies to ensure a comprehensive assessment. ASASP’s key findings confirm the safety of E 551, demonstrating no genotoxic potential and negligible bioaccessibility.

Next Steps:

Stakeholders will receive the opinion 24 hours before its public release for an editorial review (the "embargo"). After the embargo, the opinion will be published on the EFSA website and EFSA Journal. Following the publication of the E 551 opinion, the EU Commission will initiate the risk management phase led by the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (SCOPAFF) at DG SANTE.

ASASP remains committed to transparency and ongoing scientific dialogue with regulators to uphold the highest safety standards for food additives.