§ Earl Howeasked Her Majesty's Government:
What was the outcome of the recent meeting between the Food Standards Agency and the European Food Safety Authority on the difficulties anticipated by industry in preparing dossiers of information to support the inclusion of substances on the lists of nutrients and nutrient sources appended to the Food Supplements Directive; and whether they will indicate what specific plans the Food Standards Agency has to continue that dialogue. [HL5197]
§ Lord WarnerOn 14 October representatives from food supplement industry trade associations met with representatives of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to discuss requirements for dossiers supporting addition of nutrient sources to the lists appended to the Food Supplements Directive. The meeting was constructive. EFSA representatives indicated that applicants should submit data establishing the identity and purity of the nutrient source, and any available safety data. EFSA would then advise whether further data were required, taking into account similarities with substances which have already been approved either as nutrient sources or as additives. This, together with advice that combined dossiers for similar substances are welcome, means that dossier preparation costs for many of the "missing" substances will be significantly lower than previously estimated. The Food Standards Agency is writing to inform interested parties of the outcome and will continue to liaise with EFSA and European Commission representatives on this issue.