EFSA releases favourable scientific opinion on the wide use of Thaumatin

The European Food Safety Authority has released a favourable scientific opinion on the safety of thaumatin for its extended use in a wide range of food applications.

Talin, a multi-functional food additive (Thaumatin – E 957), is derived from the thaumatococcus danielli fruit and improves the taste of foods and beverages as an alternative to salt and sugar, masking off-tastes and enhancing flavours.

In 2014, Naturex submitted an application to the European Commission to extend the use of talin.

This provides the opportunity to use the additive in a wide range of new applications, including salt substitutes to reduce their off-tastes; soups, sauces and snacks to increase flavour perception and enable salt reduction; energy reduced breakfast cereals, jams and jellies to increase the perceived sweetness when used in combination with other sweeteners; food supplements to mask aftertastes, or the bitterness of some actives; and alcoholic beverages to boost and rebalance the overall flavour.

Besides, it enables an increase in the currently approved maximum use level from 0.5mg/l to 5mg/l in flavoured drinks

Under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, thaumatin can be used as a food additive in food flavourings.

Naturex food and beverage business manager Amandine de Santi said: "As a leading actor in the thaumatin category, Naturex is duty bound to contribute to the market’s development. We are pleased to be able to open discussions in order to move forward on this key issue."

Naturex is focussed on specialty plant-based natural ingredients, and has dedicated business units to address the particular needs of three strategic markets, namely food and beverages, nutrition and health, and personal care.

Its head office is located at Avignon, France, and the company employs more than 1,700 people. It has manufacturing operations across 15 sites in Europe, Morocco, the US, Brazil, Australia, India, and Chile, and a network of 25 sales offices across the world.

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Image: Thaumatin can enhance flavour of soups. Photo: Courtesy of Tiramisustudio/FreeDigitalPhotos.net.