Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA evaluated the risks to human health related to the presence of cyanogenic glycosides (CNGs) in foods other than raw apricot kernels. It has been concluded that there are no data indicating that the acute reference dose (ARfD) for cyanide of 20 μg/kg bw, established in 2016, should be revised and that it is applicable for acute effects of cyanide regardless of the dietary source. For exposure to cyanide from foods other than raw apricot kernels, bitter almonds and cassava roots, this ARfD is likely to be over‐conservative because of the lower bioavailability of cyanide from these foods, but establishment of different ARfDs for different types of food is not appropriate.
The EFSA made the following recommendations:
- Validated methods for the quantification of CNGs and total cyanide and investigations on the variation of hydrolytic enzymes are needed in different foods.
- The variation of hydrolytic enzymes in food crops and the potential to identify cultivars of crops with relatively low content of CNG or of hydrolytic enzymes need to be investigated.
- More occurrence data for cyanide in raw and processed foods and consumption data for CNG containing foods are also needed.
- Human toxicokinetics of CNGs and released cyanide after ingestion of food items containing CNGs need to be studied further.
- More information is needed on the presence of hydrolytic activity in processed foods.
- More data are needed to evaluate the potential of cyanide and food items that contain CNGs to cause chronic effects.