Category: Europe
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EFSA Opens Public Consultation on Infant Formula Requirements
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has launched a public consultation on its draft scientific opinion determining “the essential composition of infant and infant follow-on formulae.” Drawing on new evidence as well as dietary intake guidelines for infants and young children, the draft opinion addresses requirements for protein, fat, carbohydrates, micronutrients, and other ingredients found…
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EFSA Delays BPA Risk Assessment
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has extended “the timeline to complete its full risk assessment of bisphenol A (BPA) to the end of 2014.” After receiving nearly 250 comments in response to the second part of its draft risk assessment, EFSA has emphasized the need for “a full understanding of these comments before finalizing…
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ECHA Publishes Final Decisions for 14 Potentially Hazardous Substances
After review by member states and unanimous agreement by the Member State Committee, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has published a group of evaluation decisions on 14 substances considered to pose potential risks, creating obligations for companies in the European Union to conduct tests and provide further data about their use. The decisions are the…
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EFSA to Hold Workshop on Re-Evaluation of Food Additives
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) will host a workshop on April 28, 2014, in Brussels, to discuss the agency’s work related to the re-evaluation of food additives, as required by Commission Regulation No. 257/2010 of the European Parliament and the Council on Food Additives. With an aim to “engage with interested business operators, scientific…
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French Senate Report Calls for Junk-Food Tax
A French Senate committee has issued a report, “Taxation and Public Health: Evaluation of Behavioral Taxation,” urging lawmakers to implement a “behavioral tax” to counteract poor dietary habits and help cover health care expenditures associated with consumption of “unhealthy” foods. While emphasizing the need for a sugar-sweetened beverage tax, the report also advocates harmonizing tax…
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EFSA Seeks Data on Food Additives
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has issued a call for data from member states and other stakeholders on a third batch of food additives, including tertiary-butyl hydroquinone, agar, carrageenan, and xanthan gum, used in food and beverages. The action follows Commission Regulation No. 257/2010 of the European Parliament and the Council on Food Additives,…
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EFSA Requests Brominated Flame Retardant Monitoring
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has asked member states “to monitor the presence of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in food over the next two years.” In light of six scientific opinions published by the Scientific Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain between September 2010 and September 2012, EFSA has requested additional information on…
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European Parliament Rejects Nano Labeling Regulations
The European Parliament has reportedly rejected draft rules mandating the labeling of engineered nanomaterials used in food. According to a March 13, 2014, press release, MEPs voted to scrap the proposed measure over concerns that the European Commission’s definition of nanomaterial “would exempt nano-sized food additives already on the market.” In particular, MEPs noted that…