The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has concluded that the food enzyme α-amylase produced with the genetically modified Bacillus licheniformis strain NZYM-AC by Novozymes A/S does not pose safety concerns under revised intended conditions of use, including two additional food manufacturing processes. The scientific opinion, adopted on 24 June 2026 and published on 14 July 2026, updates a previous safety evaluation from October 2023 that had cleared the enzyme for seven processes. The new assessment extends its use to the production of baked products and plant-based analogues of milk and milk products, and broadens the raw materials allowed in distilled alcohol production to include soluble fractions from grain processing. Dietary exposure was recalculated for the seven processes where the enzyme remains in the final food, reaching up to 0.181 mg total organic solids per kg body weight per day across European populations. The Panel concluded that this revised exposure does not give rise to safety concerns. The enzyme, which hydrolyses starch into dextrins and oligosaccharides, is inactivated in most processes but may remain active in juices and baked goods depending on heat treatment. The opinion follows a public consultation from 22 December 2025 to 12 January 2026, which received no comments. The European Commission requested the assessment under Regulation (EC) No 1331/2008 as part of the procedure to include the enzyme in the EU list of authorised food enzymes. The extension allows Novozymes to market the enzyme for a broader range of applications, potentially affecting producers of baked goods and plant-based milk alternatives who may benefit from improved dough handling and reduced viscosity, while consumers face no additional safety risk. The opinion does not address technological necessity or potential consumer misleading, which are separate authorisation criteria.
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