YOUR OPINION

Are nuts fattening?

• Yes
• No
• I don’t know

 

The INC, represented by Ms. Ellen Pay, International Food Law and Trade Advisor, attended the EFSA Stakeholder Consultative Platform Meeting, held in Brussels, 13-14 April 2010. This platform is the vehicle through which EFSA communicates with its civil society stakeholders -consumer groups, non-governmental organizations, and market operators such as farmers, food manufacturers, distributors or processors, science professionals.

Ms. Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle, EFSA Executive Director, presented an overview of EFSA’s activities and the number of Health Claims received, withdrawn, adopted and in progress. EFSA is responsible for verifying the scientific substantiation of the submitted claims, some of which are currently in use, some of which are proposed by applicants. This information serves as a basis for the European Commission and Member States, which will decide whether to authorize the claims.

Ms. Juliane Kleiner, Head of Unit of Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (EFSA) stated that of the 4,637 health claims received by EFSA, 993 have now been evaluated, while 297 claims have been withdrawn. The next publication of EFSA opinions on health claims is foreseen for September 2010, while the deadline for the evaluation of all submitted claims is set for December 2011.

An updated database of health claims will be published on EFSA’s website in the coming weeks. EFSA is currently developing additional guidance material for the evaluation of health claims in cooperation with the EU Commission, EU Member States and Stakeholders. In this respect, EFSA is organizing a technical meeting with stakeholders on recent developments related to health claims on 1 June 2010, Parma, Italy.