The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded on 17 July 2026 that the food enzyme β-fructofuranosidase from the genetically modified Trichoderma reesei strain AR-996 poses no safety concern under revised intended uses, including three additional food manufacturing processes, and that the proposed amended specifications for the food additive invertase (E 1103) are safe. The EFSA Panel on Food Enzymes derived a margin of exposure of at least 1618, based on a dietary exposure up to 0.618 mg total organic solids per kg body weight per day and a no observed adverse effect level of 1000 mg TOS/kg bw per day from a previous study.
The opinion, adopted on 17 June 2026 and published on 17 July 2026, updates a previous safety evaluation of the same enzyme from February 2025, which had assessed its use in three food manufacturing processes. The new application, submitted by AB Enzymes GmbH on 1 April 2025, requested an extension to include production of baked products, cereal-based products other than baked, and confectionery products and beverages, as well as an amendment to the EU specifications for invertase (E 1103) to allow production with the GM Trichoderma reesei strain AR-996. EFSA carried out a public consultation from 3 October to 24 October 2025, receiving no comments.
The Panel concluded that the revised exposure estimates and the margin of exposure do not give rise to safety concerns. Regarding the amended specifications, the Panel found that invertase produced with the GM Trichoderma reesei strain AR-996 is comparable to the already authorised invertase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and thus no safety concern is identified. The opinion will inform the European Commission's decision on updating the Union list of food enzymes and the specifications for food additive E 1103.