Protein extract from pig kidneys: authorised novel food in the EU

Conditions of use and maximum levels

Table 1, column "Conditions under which the novel food may be used", as written:

• Food supplements as defined in Directive 2002/46/EC: 12,6 mg protein extract from pig kidney/day containing 0,9 mg/day diamine oxidase (DAO) taken in 3 doses per day, each dose containing a maximum of 0,3 mg DAO
• Food for special medical purposes as defined in Regulation (EU) No 609/2013: In accordance with the particular nutritional requirements of the persons for whom the products are intended, but not higher than 12,6 mg protein extract from pig kidney/day containing 0,9 mg/day DAO

Specification (Table 2)

Table 2 of the Annex, row with the same name, as written:

Description/Definition:

The protein extract is obtained from homogenised pig kidneys through a combination of salt precipitation and high-speed centrifugation. The obtained precipitate contains essentially proteins with 7 % of the enzyme diamine oxidase (enzyme nomenclature E.C. 1.4.3.22) and is resuspended in a physiologic buffer system. The obtained protein extract from pig kidney is formulated in appropriate forms and dosage to reach the active sites of digestion.

Basic product:

Specification: Protein extract from pig kidney with natural content of diamine oxidase (DAO):

Physical condition: liquid

Colour: brownish

Appearance: slightly turbid solution

pH value: 6,4-6,8

Enzymatic activity: > 2 677 kHDU DAO/ml (DAO REA (DAO Radio Extraction Assay))

Microbiological criteria:

Brachyspira spp.: negative (Real Time PCR)

Listeria monocytogenes: negative (Real Time PCR)

Staphylococcus aureus: < 100 CFU/g

Influenza A: negative (Reverse Transcription Real Time PCR)

Escherichia coli: < 10 CFU/g

Total aerobic microbiological count: < 105 CFU/g

Yeasts/moulds count: < 105 CFU/g

Salmonella: Absence/10 g

Bile salt resistant enterobacteriaceae: < 104 CFU/g

Final product:

Specification protein extract from pig kidney with natural content of DAO (E.C. 1.4.3.22) in appropriate forms and dosage to reach the active sites of digestion:

Physical condition: solid

Colour: yellow grey

Enzymatic activity: 110-220 kHDU DAO/g (DAO REA (DAO Radio Extraction Assay))

Acid stability 15 min 0,1M HCl followed by 60 min Borat pH = 9,0: > 68 kHDU DAO/g (DAO REA (DAO Radio Extraction Assay))

Humidity: < 10 %

Microbiological criteria:

Staphylococcus aureus: < 100 CFU/g

Escherichia coli: < 10 CFU/g

Total aerobic microbiological count: < 104 CFU/g

Total combined yeasts/moulds count: < 103 CFU/g

Salmonella: Absence/10 g

Bile salt resistant enterobacteriaceae: < 102 CFU/g

PCR: Polymerase Chain Reaction; HDU (Histamine Degrading Units)

Description/Definition:

The protein extract is obtained from homogenised pig kidneys through a series of steps involving a number of acetone washes to defat and dehydrate the homogenized pig kidneys, followed by draining, drying, milling, and sieving to produce a powder containing essentially proteins with a 7-9 % (on average) content of the enzyme diamine oxidase (enzyme nomenclature E.C. 1.4.3.22). The protein extract from pig kidney is formulated in appropriate forms and dosage to reach the active sites of digestion.

Basic product:

Specification: Protein extract from pig kidney with natural content of diamine oxidase (DAO):

Physical condition: powder

Colour: pale brown

Enzymatic activity: ≥ 0,10 mU/mg (ultra-high performance liquid chromatography linked with fluorescent detection)

Humidity: < 10 %

Residual solvents:

Acetone: < 5 000 mg/kg

Microbiological criteria:

Staphylococcus aureus: < 100 CFU/g

Escherichia coli: < 10 CFU/g

Total aerobic microbiological count: < 104 CFU/g

Total combined yeasts/moulds count: < 103 CFU/g

Salmonella: Absence/10 g

Bile salt resistant enterobacteriaceae: < 102 CFU/g

Listeria monocytogenes: absence in 25 g

Final product:

Specification protein extract from pig kidney with natural content of DAO (E.C. 1.4.3.22) in appropriate forms and dosage to reach the active sites of digestion:

Physical condition: solid

Colour: pale brown

Enzymatic activity: 2,29-4,6 mU/g (ultra-high performance liquid chromatography linked with fluorescent detection).

Acid stability 15 min 0,1M HCl followed by 60 min Borat pH = 9,0: > 1,4 mU DAO/g (ultra-high performance liquid chromatography linked with fluorescent detection)

Humidity: < 10 %

Microbiological criteria:

Staphylococcus aureus: < 100 CFU/g

Escherichia coli: < 10 CFU/g

Total aerobic microbiological count: < 104 CFU/g

Total combined yeasts/moulds count: < 103 CFU/g

Salmonella: Absence/10 g

Bile salt resistant enterobacteriaceae: < 102 CFU/g

Listeria monocytogenes: absence in 25 g

mU: milliUnit (expressed in mU/mg) measures nanomols (nmol) of histamine degraded by the DAO per minute using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography linked with fluorescent fetection (O. Comas-Basté et al. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 411:7595-7602 (2019)). 1 mU corresponds to 48 000 HDU of the DAO Radio Extraction Assay (REA) method.

Source and version

Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470, Annex, Union list of novel foods, Table 1. Consolidated text of 10 August 2026. The text above is copied from that document without change except that amendment markers are removed. It is not advice and it does not decide whether a particular product is covered.

• Consolidated text on EUR-Lex

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