A report from Europe’s top food safety watchdog said it has the systems in place to deal quickly and efficiently with urgent appeals for information during crises and emergency situations.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published draft guidance giving more specific risk assessment information regarding the use of nanotechnology in food.
EFSA will open up its doors to external review and evaluation in 2011, as its mandate has evolved considerably over the last five years and structural changes may be required.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has repeatedly emphasised that the 2006 EU nutrition and health claims regulation is a learning experience for everyone involved – from its health claims assessment panel to industry stakeholders, to the member...
As all parties would probably admit in these stressful times for the European Union functional food industry, we are still some way away from resolving the core issues that resulted in the adoption of Regulation 1924/2006 – the 2006 nutrition and health...
EFSA says it has completed phase one of its safety review of flavouring substances used in the EU, with opinions on 2067 substances delivered, and will start to assess new flavourings submitted in accordance with new guidelines.
The whey protein industry is gathering data to submit article 13.5 health claims after the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) last month rejected a slew of generic, article 13.1 protein and whey protein-related dossiers.
Regulations are intended to protect consumers and ensure there is scientific evidence that foods placed on the market are safe and do what they say on the label. But they can also cause an innovation go-slow – at least until the European institutions...
EFSA has agreed with JECFA that 10 of the latest 22 flavouring substances to undergo re-evaluation pose no safety concern at estimated intake levels, but more info is required to complete assessment on the remaining 12.
Dispatches from European Flavour Association conference
Flavour companies must provide data to EFSA to allow it to complete the safety reassessments for some 400 outstanding flavour substances already used in the EU by 2014, DG Sanco has stressed; meanwhile, solutions are sought as to how the list of approved...
Denmark has said that unless Brussels imposes a Europe-wide ban on bisphenol A (BPA) in food contact materials for young children it will not lift its own ban on the chemical.
EFSA was right to delay its verdict on bisphenol A (BPA) in order to take more time to complete a detailed evaluation of the necessary scientific data, said a major plastics trade body.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) will not deliver its opinion on bisphenol A until September, saying its experts needed more time to review the 800 research studies on the substance.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has issued an 18-page document that updates its approach to health claim assessment and which will form the basis of discussion at its stakeholders meeting in Parma on June 1.
The European Food Safety Authority has launched a public consultation into its new draft communications strategy, which would make dialogue a new key outcome and lay audiences a new target.
Gum acacia modified with n-octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) is safe for use as an emulsifier in flavourings and in foods, finds the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) following a risk assessment request from the European Commission.
An international summit on bisphenol A (BPA) hosted by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) last week yielded “very useful” scientific discussion, said the head of the body’s food contact panel.
The European Food Safety Authority published new dietary reference values (DRVs) for carbohydrates, sugar, fibre, fats and water confirming proposals made last year. The final levels have drawn criticism from some scientists.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has launched a consultation on its new guidance for assessing the environmental risk that genetically modified plants may pose.
NutraIngredients asked its readers for their views on whether the EU health claims regulation is stifling innovation in Europe. And we received a lot of responses...
October 1 was not a good day for many in the functional foods and food supplements business in the European Union as the meaning of life under a highly restrictive health claims regime came more into focus.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) says the detailed guidance it gave to industry at Monday’s technical health claims meeting will ensure “shared, mutual understanding” in the health claims evaluation process.
Shane Starling reports from the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) much anticipated industry stakeholders’ meeting about health claims in Brussels today.
The short-term consumption of breakfast cereals contaminated with previously reported levels of the 4-methylbenzophenone (4MBP) poses no risk to human health, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has said.
There is a general trend towards lower levels acrylamide in food products over time, EFSA has observed – but the decrease is not consistent across food groups and for some levels have actually increased.
The European Food Safety Authority has concluded its assessment of the potential risks of nanotechnologies for food and feed, stating that a cautious, case-by-case approach is needed as many uncertainties remain over its safe use.
One of the most fiercely debated and amended pieces of European Union food law history is playing out before our eyes, and its effects are beginning to be felt.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has recommended lower Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) for several active substances used in pesticides that the European Commission considered could have possible safety concerns for human health.
At HIE in Paris, NutraIngredients gained an exclusive interview with EFSA's chief health claim assessor, Professor Albert Flynn. EFSA has copped a lot of flak for its gold standard scientific approach, but Professor Flynn said his agency would not...
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published a draft strategic plan on Thursday pinpointing the areas where it foresees food safety issues to arise over the next five years.
The European Food Safety Authority’s hard line stance on health claims is bewildering some, resigning others, but steeling most to meet its ‘gold standard’ scientific demands.
The European Food Safety Authority recently turned in its first health claim verdicts, rejecting eight of nine. European food regulations expert Lorène Courrège explains why EFSA’s tough health claim approach may stifle product innovation.
EFSA has identified information gaps relating to some flavouring substances as part of its ongoing evaluation of additives, and is asking industry to provide more information on their safety.
The European Commission has culled its gargantuan nutrition
and health claims list from more than 40,000 to 1500 as the
health claims process moves closer to fruition in January, 2010.
"Subtle language differences" may confound regulators in
the midst of translating thousands of health claims ahead of a
pan-European 2010 approval deadline, according to various industry
sources.
The adoption of draft opinions on the safety of six food colours is
on hold pending EFSA's review of the Southampton study on certain
food additives and hyperactivity in children.
EU member countries are concerned about the feasibility of
companies paying fees to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
for vetting ingredients, packaging and food contact materials for
use in the bloc.
EFSA has issued a damning opinion on the safety of food colour Red
2G (E128), the first under its reassessment programme and a strong
indication of a sea-change in the use of additives in processed
foods.
The European Food Standards Authority has issued opinions on the
likelihood of certain ingredients and additives causing allergic
reactions, underscoring the importance of including full scientific
data in dossiers to allow the panel...
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has revealed that it will review the new data presented by French scientists that revealed toxicity concerns in rats fed the MON863 variety of GM maize from Monsanto.
The past 12 months have seen several important developments on the
European regulatory scene, which will play a big role in shaping
the supplements and health foods industries for the future.
EFSA is regarding its role in implementing the new European
nutrition and health claims regulation as both an opportunity and a
challenge, but is concerned about the timeframe it will have to
evaluate.
The EU's food agency has reviewed 50 pesticides for safety, part of
a process that would establish what agricultural chemicals are
allowed to be present as residues inproduce and by how much.
Science and politics make poor bedfellows. Just ask Herman Koeter,
deputy executive director at the European Food Safety Authority
(EFSA), which has felt the push and pull of national politics ever
since the agency began operating...
EFSA renewed its mandate of the Stakeholder Consultative Platform
and discussed future strategic priorities at its inaugural new
management board meeting this week.
With Europe-wide health claims regulation moving towards
completion, there is some anxiety within the food industry on how
to best to prepare itself - even though EFSA has not yet published
submissions guidelines or come up with a...
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) continues to expand its
scientific work this year, with an eye on the upcoming
implementation of new EU legislation covering a variety of industry
segments.
