PEANUT PROTEIN IN SOYBEAN LECITHIN FROM INDIA
The European Lecithin Manufacturers Association (ELMA) is fully aware of the issue concerning the presence of peanut protein in soybean lecithin imported from India, which was reported via the RASFF system.1
ELMA is very concerned about this issue and its members are undertaking additional and comprehensive analyses and controls in order to prevent the presence of peanut and the related peanut protein in soybean lecithin. The analyses carried out by ELMA members, in the context of this alert, indicate that the issue of the possible presence of peanut protein concerns solely soybean lecithin from India.
ELMA members have investigated the potential risk of peanut/peanut protein presence in soybean lecithin from India and have in place necessary measures to mitigate the risk. Measures adopted by ELMA members include requesting suppliers in India to carry out pre-shipment analyses and also carrying out their own analyses for the presence of peanut/peanut protein using validated methods on batches originating from India prior to placing on the market.
ELMA members are aware of the major impact this can have and those ELMA members that have identified potential risk of peanut/peanut protein presence in soybean lecithin from India, scheduled this with top priority with the respective suppliers in India to ban the risk of peanut protein presence.
In view of the RASFF alert and additional analyses carried out in the context of this alert, ELMA strongly advises the users of soybean lecithin from India, under the current circumstances, to carry out a risk analysis and consequently evaluate the best way to communicate the potential risk to allergic consumers.
1 https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/rasff-window/screen/notification/544197
Download the statement here.