Informe del Comité Científico de la Agencia Española de Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutrición (AESAN) en relación a la seguridad del uso de dos soluciones acuosas de peróxido de hidrógeno, ácido acético y ácido peracético como coadyuvantes tecnológicos para la desinfección bacteriana del agua de lavado de manzanas y melocotones

Abstract

The company AgroFresh Fruit Protection S.A has requested an assessment of the safety of using two aqueous solutions of hydrogen peroxide, acetic acid and peracetic acid as a processing aid. It includes 1-Hydroxyethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid (HEDP) as stabiliser. The proposed use is the antibacterial treatment of water used to wash apples and peaches in processing plants. These are aqueous solutions with the same composition and manufacturer as the ones previously assessed by the Scientific Committee for the antibacterial disinfection of water for washing citrus fruits and peppers. With regard to the dose proposed for use, given the reactivity of the active substances with organic material present in the dirt covering the fruits, an initial addition of 0.1 % of FreshStart Disinfect 25-15 or 0.3 % of FreshStart Disinfect 25-5 is required. In both cases, the final concentration of peracetic acid in the washing solution will be 150 ppm. After this initial dosage of 150 ppm of peracetic acid, maintenance dosages (0.033 % of FreshStart Disinfect 25-15 or 0.1 % de FreshStar Disinfect 25-5) shall be given in order to maintain the washing solution at a peracetic acid concentration of 50 ppm. Considering the most adverse scenario of the presence of residues in apples and peaches and their consumption, an Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) of these residues as well as a consumer risk assessment has been made by calculating the Margin of Safety (MOS). The Scientific Committee concludes that, based on the information provided by the applicant and taking into account the proposed composition and conditions of use, the usage of the aqueous solutions as processing aids does not involve a health risk for the consumer.