10.01.09
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published advice for food authorities on how to assess the safety of botanical materials and preparations that are intended for use in food supplements. The guidance will also help food manufacturers in their consideration of the safety of ingredients they may use in their products. The opinion from EFSA’s scientific committee specifies data needed to carry out such safety assessments. It also suggests a two-tiered scientific approach depending on the existing level of knowledge on a given botanical and the substance(s) it contains. This marks the conclusion of a five-year EFSA project, which included a public consultation to help improve the basis on which the safety of widely marketed plant-based products can be assessed. Working together with EU Member States, EFSA has also compiled the available information on a large number of botanicals, which have been reported to contain substances that may be of health concern when used in food or food supplements. This compendium, which will be regularly updated, is intended to assist manufacturers and food safety authorities by highlighting possible safety issues, which may require further consideration.