2024-07 SAFETY ASSESSMENT OF SPECIALTY FOOD INGREDIENTS – CONSIDERATION OF EPIDEMIOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONAL STUDIES

On the occasion of the publication by EFSA of a Guidance on appraising and integrating evidence from epidemiological studies for use in EFSA’s scientific assessments, EU Specialty Food Ingredients has adopted a paper to explain that epidemiological observational studies lack control over exposures and confounding variables, and therefore cannot prove cause-and-effect relationships between a food ingredient and human health. They are used to identify correlations and develop hypothesis in order to address further research that proves cause-and-effect.

They can be used in the scientific risk assessment of a food ingredient only under the condition of a robust examination of potential biases.

The safety of specialty food ingredients is based on a comprehensive risk assessment.