The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has concluded that the food enzyme α-amylase from the non-genetically modified Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain LMG-S 32676 does not pose safety concerns when used in nine food manufacturing processes, including three newly requested applications. The scientific opinion, adopted on 24 June 2026 and published on 15 July 2026, updates a previous 2023 evaluation that had assessed the enzyme's safety in six processes. The extension covers use in the production of cereal-based products other than baked, plant extracts, and plant-based analogues of milk and milk products.
The enzyme, produced by Kerry Ingredients & Flavours Ltd., had already been deemed safe for use in baked products, brewed products, glucose syrups, distilled alcohol, refined sugar, and yeast processing. The new application, submitted on 29 November 2024, prompted EFSA to revise the dietary exposure assessment. Since the enzyme's total organic solids (TOS) are removed in two of the nine processes (distilled alcohol and refined sugar), exposure was estimated for the remaining seven. The highest chronic dietary exposure was calculated at 2.566 mg TOS per kg body weight per day for European populations, a level the panel considered not to raise safety concerns.
The opinion notes that the enzyme is inactivated in most processes due to heat treatment above 85°C, though it may retain activity in baked products. Residual activity was detected in white bread in prior studies. The assessment followed EFSA's standard guidance and included a public consultation from 16 December 2025 to 6 January 2026, which received no comments. The revised intended uses expand the enzyme's role in reducing viscosity during dough preparation for cereal-based products, hydrolysing starch in plant extracts, and processing plant-based milk analogues. The panel concluded that the food enzyme does not give rise to safety concerns under the revised conditions of use.