Novel foods need to be assessed for allergenicity

Tuesday, 29 April 2008 01:30

The European Council plans to revise the EU Novel Food Regulation to bring it up to date and clarify the scope. However, the UK’s Food Standards Authority (FSA) has expressed concern that revisions currently being considered fail to take proper account of potential allergic responses to some novel foods.

Among the fears raised at a recent workshop on the Novel Food Regulation review was that some novel foods, including a number currently seeking approval from South American and African countries – for example, ones containing ingredients from Baobab fruit and the Kiwiberry – might cause allergic reactions among European consumers.  According to the current revisions, to gain approval, it would be necessary to demonstrate that the food had been consumed as part of the normal diet for at least one generation by a large part of the population of a particular country.
 
There would be a single risk assessment by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which would have six months to provide its opinion. The European Commission would then have nine months to make a proposal for authorisation, and this would be followed by a decision by Member States. The FSA have expressed concerns about the lack of provision for public consultation under the new proposal and plan to carry out a formal consultation on the revision to the Novel Food Regulation.