Off the wire
• Macao to host Global Tourism Economy Forum in Oct.  • Weather forecast for major Chinese cities, regions -- Sept. 17  • Weather forecast for world cities -- Sept. 17  • Germany police intensify checks along border with France  • First asylum seekers to arrive in Gabcikovo in Slovakia  • ASEAN, Hong Kong seek closer economic cooperation  • UN envoy in Damascus in fresh push for Syria peace initiative  • Hungarian FM calls int'l response to tear-gas "bizarre"  • Update 2: Twin bombings kill up to 15 in Iraq's Baghdad  • China orders safety hazard cleanup after Tianjin blasts  
You are here: 　 Home

Food enzyme thrombin is safe: EU experts

Xinhua, September 17, 2015 Adjust font size:

Experts from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded that thrombin poses no safety concerns to human beings, said a press release of the EFSA, the European Union's (EU) food regulatory body on Thursday.

The enzyme thrombin is derived from the blood plasma of pigs or cattle. It is used in food processing together with fibrinogen, a protein also obtained from the blood of these animals, to bind pieces of meat or fish.

As it derives from parts of the animals that are intended for human consumption, and provided that it is produced under hygienic conditions in accordance with EU rules, the experts concluded that this food enzyme does not give rise to safety concerns under the intended conditions of use.

Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA panel on food contact materials, enzymes, flavorings and processing aids was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the food enzyme thrombin, said the EFSA. Endit