Update of the risk assessment on emerging and novel brominated flame retardants in food
Abstract
The European Commission asked EFSA to update its 2012 risk assessment on Emerging and Novel brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in food. Since the previous Opinion, further information was collected for a total of 27 BFRs. The CONTAM Panel concluded that TDBPP, DBPNG and TBNPA are considered genotoxic and carcinogenic. Based on positive in vitro mutagenicity in mammalian cells, DBE‐DBCH is considered genotoxic. EBTEBPI, DBDPE, PBB‐Acr and TTBP‐TAZ are not genotoxic. Insufficient or absent data precluded the Panel to conclude on the genotoxic potential of the remaining BFRs. Reproductive/developmental toxicity and/or neurotoxicity/neurodevelopmental effects were reported for DBNPG, BEH‐TEBP, EH‐TBB, DBDPE and TDBP‐TAZTO. Reference Points were identified for TDBPP, DBNPG, BEH‐TEBP, EH‐TBB, DBDPE and TDBP‐TAZTO. No health‐based guidance values could be derived for any of the BFRs. Occurrence data were submitted to EFSA for eight BFRs (BEH‐TEBP, EH‐TBB, BTBPE, DBDPE, HBB, PBEB, PBT, TBX). Dietary exposure could be estimated only for BTBPE and HBB, due to the lack of quantitative data for the other BFRs. However, no risk characterisation could be performed for these BFRs due to the lack of a Reference Point. Using the limited available information on dietary exposure estimates reported in the scientific literature, risk characterisation could be performed for BEH‐TEBP, EH‐TBB and DBDPE, and the CONTAM Panel concluded that dietary exposure does not raise a health concern. The Panel considered that the level of certainty was 90% or higher for most of the reported conclusions. Very limited or no information on hazard or exposure were available for HBCYD, TBCO, DBHCTD, HCTBPH, BDBP‐TAZTO, DBP‐TAZTO, OBTMPI, DBS, HEEHP‐TEBP, 4’‐PeBPO‐BDE208 or TTBNPP. Recommendations were formulated to address data gaps, including the need for access to original data, and for the collection of biomonitoring data, occurrence data in food, genotoxicity information and toxicological studies to support the identification of a Reference Point.
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BibTeX
@article{knutsen2026update,
title = {{Update of the risk assessment on emerging and novel brominated flame retardants in food}},
author = {Helle Katrine Knutsen and Agneta Åkesson and Vasileios Bampidis and Margherita Bignami and Laurent Bodin and James Kevin Chipman and Gisela Degen and Antonio Hernández-Jerez and Tim Hofer and Christer Hogstrand and Stefano Landi and Jean‐charles Leblanc and Kyriaki Machera and Evangelia Ntzani and Isabelle Oswald and Guido Rychen and Salomon Sand and Katharina Vejdovszky and Barbara Viviani and Emilio Benfenati and Diane Benford and Andy Hart and Martin Rose and Henri Schroeder and Christiane Vleminckx and Martine Vrijheid and Edoardo Carnesecchi and Violetta Costanzo and Andrea Gissi and Eirini Kouloura and Luisa Ramos Bordajandi and Francesca Riolo and Christer Hogstrand},
journal = {EFSA Journal},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.2903/j.efsa.2026.10187},
url = {https://hal.univ-lorraine.fr/hal-05839109v1},
note = {CC BY-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Update of the risk assessment on emerging and novel brominated flame retardants in food
AU - Helle Katrine Knutsen
AU - Agneta Åkesson
AU - Vasileios Bampidis
AU - Margherita Bignami
AU - Laurent Bodin
AU - James Kevin Chipman
AU - Gisela Degen
AU - Antonio Hernández-Jerez
AU - Tim Hofer
AU - Christer Hogstrand
AU - Stefano Landi
AU - Jean‐charles Leblanc
AU - Kyriaki Machera
AU - Evangelia Ntzani
AU - Isabelle Oswald
AU - Guido Rychen
AU - Salomon Sand
AU - Katharina Vejdovszky
AU - Barbara Viviani
AU - Emilio Benfenati
AU - Diane Benford
AU - Andy Hart
AU - Martin Rose
AU - Henri Schroeder
AU - Christiane Vleminckx
AU - Martine Vrijheid
AU - Edoardo Carnesecchi
AU - Violetta Costanzo
AU - Andrea Gissi
AU - Eirini Kouloura
AU - Luisa Ramos Bordajandi
AU - Francesca Riolo
AU - Christer Hogstrand
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/26
JO - EFSA Journal
DO - 10.2903/j.efsa.2026.10187
UR - https://hal.univ-lorraine.fr/hal-05839109v1
AB - The European Commission asked EFSA to update its 2012 risk assessment on Emerging and Novel brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in food. Since the previous Opinion, further information was collected for a total of 27 BFRs. The CONTAM Panel concluded that TDBPP, DBPNG and TBNPA are considered genotoxic and carcinogenic. Based on positive in vitro mutagenicity in mammalian cells, DBE‐DBCH is considered genotoxic. EBTEBPI, DBDPE, PBB‐Acr and TTBP‐TAZ are not genotoxic. Insufficient or absent data precluded the Panel to conclude on the genotoxic potential of the remaining BFRs. Reproductive/developmental toxicity and/or neurotoxicity/neurodevelopmental effects were reported for DBNPG, BEH‐TEBP, EH‐TBB, DBDPE and TDBP‐TAZTO. Reference Points were identified for TDBPP, DBNPG, BEH‐TEBP, EH‐TBB, DBDPE and TDBP‐TAZTO. No health‐based guidance values could be derived for any of the BFRs. Occurrence data were submitted to EFSA for eight BFRs (BEH‐TEBP, EH‐TBB, BTBPE, DBDPE, HBB, PBEB, PBT, TBX). Dietary exposure could be estimated only for BTBPE and HBB, due to the lack of quantitative data for the other BFRs. However, no risk characterisation could be performed for these BFRs due to the lack of a Reference Point. Using the limited available information on dietary exposure estimates reported in the scientific literature, risk characterisation could be performed for BEH‐TEBP, EH‐TBB and DBDPE, and the CONTAM Panel concluded that dietary exposure does not raise a health concern. The Panel considered that the level of certainty was 90% or higher for most of the reported conclusions. Very limited or no information on hazard or exposure were available for HBCYD, TBCO, DBHCTD, HCTBPH, BDBP‐TAZTO, DBP‐TAZTO, OBTMPI, DBS, HEEHP‐TEBP, 4’‐PeBPO‐BDE208 or TTBNPP. Recommendations were formulated to address data gaps, including the need for access to original data, and for the collection of biomonitoring data, occurrence data in food, genotoxicity information and toxicological studies to support the identification of a Reference Point.
SN - 1831-4732
SN - 1831-4732
ER -