2025-01 WANTED: PRACTICAL EFSA TO ASSESS SPECIALTY FOOD INGREDIENTS’ SAFETY IN REAL-WORLD SETTINGS!

The European Commission is evaluating the performance of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for the first time. In the European Union (EU), most specialty food ingredients must first undergo a premarket authorisation process including a safety assessment from EFSA, before being allowed to be used in foods and beverages.

Applicants are willing to provide EFSA with the essential information required for assessing ingredient safety. However, the excessive and illogical nature of certain EFSA’s inquiries results in time-consuming responses, unnecessary delays, and growing frustration of applicants. This deters EU applications, even more because meeting certain requirements would involve producing at an industrial scale an ingredient that is still uncertain to be approved in the EU.

While maintaining a clear distinction between assessing and managing risks, the European Commission has a responsibility to ensure that EFSA performs risk assessments efficiently and proportionately. Urgent actions are needed to recognise EU applicants as valuable partners in a competitive global market. It’s time to act and not miss out on food ingredient innovation within the EU.

Read the new EU Specialty Food Ingredients factsheet ‘Wanted: Practical EFSA to assess specialty food ingredients safety in real-world settings‘ to learn more about the EFSA review, novel specialty food ingredients’ production and few proposed quick fixes.

Check also the previously published factsheet: ‘Wanted: High-performing EFSA for the safety assessment of specialty food ingredients‘.