XYREX® CLARIFIES INGREDIENT SAFETY IN PRAWNFRESH™

Xyrex® clarifies ingredient safety in PrawnFresh™. Xyrex® is at the forefront of revolutionising the fishing, seafood processing and aquaculture industries with sulphite free seafood technologies.

There has been some confusion recently regarding the ingredients used in PrawnFresh™ which is a Specially Formulated Treatment  offered by Xyrex® that enhances the quality, maintains Organoleptic Properties and extends the shelf-life of seafood.

Managing Director Gerry McGuire helps to clear up the confusion:

“We are in a very frustrating situation in France regarding misunderstanding surrounding one of the key ingredients in PrawnFresh™, 4-Hexylresorcinol (E586), which has been mistakenly associated with Resorcinol, a completely different compound.

“4-Hexylresorcinol is NOT Resorcinol!

“This confusion has been well documented by SIPA (Seafood Importers & Processors Alliance), however, some processors and importers are still avoiding seafood treated with preservatives which contain 4-Hexylresorcinol on the mistaken belief that it is prohibited by the EU and has negative effects on health.

“This is not the case; 4-Hexylresorcinol is safe, when used according to instruction, for both processors and the consumer and has numerous advantages over sulphite-based treatments.

“4-Hexylresorcinol is permitted in the EU as a treatment for use on fresh, frozen and deep-frozen crustaceans following the manufacturer’s suggested concentrations  which are calculated to adhere to EU permitted residue levels of approximately 1 – 2 ppm in the edible portion and is not of toxicological concern.” concludes Gerry

The SIPA report* states:

Some crustacean processors IN FRANCE are being encouraged to reject Nephrops and shrimps that have been dipped in Xyrex Prawnfresh because this product contain 4-hexylresorcinol (E586).

They are being told that the additive has endocrine disruptive properties and is being investigated by The French agency for food, environmental and occupational health & Safety (ANSES) and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).

Some confusion has arisen because ANSES has proposed that a similar sounding substance, resorcinol, is considered an endocrine disruptive chemical. They have submitted a dossier of evidence to ECHA. Resorcinol is currently not approved as an additive in the EU, so ANSES’s proposal should not concern anybody in the seafood business. It is unfortunate however that the dossier mistakenly lists resorcinol as a legal additive for the prevention of blackspot in crustaceans, which may have led to the misunderstanding.

In the UK and in many EU member states treatment with E586 is preferred to treatment with sulphites/metabisulphites because of the Numerous Health and Safety Benefits for both Producer and Consumer , reduced problems with staff reporting sick from the effects of processing using SMBS and for Consumers an option to consume seafood without the worry of Health hazards associated with Sodium Metabisulphite.

*Source; Sipa