Author(s)

  • Sarah Alilat (Presenting Author) | French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), Toxicology of Contaminants Unit | 10B rue Claude Bourgelat, Javené Cs 40608, 35306, Fougères , France
  • Pierre-Jean Ferron | French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), Toxicology of Contaminants Unit | 10B rue Claude Bourgelat, Javené Cs 40608, 35306, Fougères, France
  • Anne-Louise Blier | French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), Toxicology of Contaminants Unit | 10B rue Claude Bourgelat, Javené Cs 40608, 35306, Fougères , France
  • Andrea Haase | Department of Chemical and Product Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) | Berlin, Germany, 10115, Berlin, Germany
  • Nolwenn Gauvreau | French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), Toxicology of Contaminants Unit | 10B rue Claude Bourgelat, Javené Cs 40608, 35306, Fougères , France
  • Francesco Cubadda | National Reference Laboratory for Nanomaterials in Food, Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità-National Institute of Health | Rome, 00161, Rome, Italy
  • Kevin Hogeveen | French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), Toxicology of Contaminants Unit | 10B rue Claude Bourgelat, Javené Cs 40608, 35306, Fougères , France
  • Valérie Fessard | French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), Toxicology of Contaminants Unit | 10B rue Claude Bourgelat, Javené Cs 40608, 35306, Fougères , France
  • Thibaut Léger | French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), Toxicology of Contaminants Unit | 10B rue Claude Bourgelat, Javené Cs 40608, 35306, Fougères, France

Abstract

Synthetic Amorphous Silica (SAS) is used as anti-caking agent, thickener and flavor carrier (food additive E551). Although the 2024 risk assessment of EFSA concluded that E551 does not raise a safety concern, it pointed out that there are limited toxicological studies that address the potential harmful effects of nano-sized E551 particles/aggregates, leading to uncertainty in assessing their associated health risks.
To refine SAS hazard assessment, we investigated mechanisms of potential hepatotoxicity in human liver cells, combining toxicological testing and multi-omics. 2D and 3D HepaRG cells were exposed to NM200 and NM203 at 10, 50 and 100 µg/ml for 24 h. Different apical effects were measured (viability, oxidative stress, and pro-inflammatory response) as well as particle uptake. Proteomics used DIA-PASEF mode on a TimsTOF Pro 2 MS coupled to a NanoElute2 LC system, while the phosphoproteomics used DDA mode. Protein destabilization by SAS was investigated using a proteasome inhibitor. Metabolomics was carried out using a Q-Exactive Plus MS coupled to a Vanquish UHPLC.

This research received funding from the European Union through a grant of the European Food Safety Authority (agreement GP/EFSA/SCER/2020/04). This communication reflects only the author’s view and EFSA is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.