152nd ACNFP Meeting

30th March 2022

The 152nd meeting of the ACNFP will be held online at 09.30am on Wednesday 30th March 2022 via Microsoft Teams, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Executive Summary

• An application was reviewed for ‘Mung Bean Protein’ as received under the Novel Foods Authorisation Process. Following the original submission, further information had been submitted by the applicant on two occasions and the Committee were presented with a third set of new information to review, in response to questions from the Committee as to how this alternative protein would be used as a novel food and questions on production process, nutritional information and allergenicity. The Committee had been presented with a much better position on how the food would be used as the expected format of finished products. The Committee advised that there were still data gaps particularly in relation to being able to perform an allergenicity risk assessment for this new alternative protein. It was advised that further identified information was required from the applicant.
• Bambara groundnut, a traditional food from a third country was reviewed for the first time. The applicant is requesting authorisation within the UK market for the product (a type of legume) in four forms i.e., dried, roasted, canned and as a flour with an adult population as the target population. The FSA and FSS has four months to provide reasoned safety objections to the Traditional Foods sale in the UK. The Committee has raised areas where there is insufficient information to complete the assessment. A summary of the points raised and the Committee’s views will be subject to a 10 day consultation shortly.
• A suggested timeline for the development of criteria to support FSA Policy into establishing a new regulatory framework for Genome Edited (GE) food and feed was examined. The Committee felt the timeline proposed would be very challenging and estimated when first drafts could be delivered in late 2022/ spring 2023.
• The Committee reviewed a proposal for the formation of a joint COT and ACNFP subgroup which will address issues surrounding the toxicological safety of CBD and hemp-derived food products. The formation of the proposed subgroup was agreed by members.
• The Committee reviewed for the first time an application on a Hemp derived Cannabidiol that is intended to be used as an ingredient in the manufacture of food supplements. The Committee felt the data supplied were of good quality, but further information would be needed on the production process. The detailed toxicology data would need to be further evaluated to inform a the risk assessment.
• An application has been received under the novel food authorisation process for a synthetic form of cannabidiol (CBD) for use in food supplements. The Committee reviewed the application for the third time. The applicant responded to the queries raised and the Committee considered no further information was needed at this stage. The progress for this application will be linked to the timing of a wider review of the cross cutting issues for CBD .

Agenda

152nd Meeting of the ACNFP, 30th March 2022 Agenda

Minutes

Minutes of the 152nd Meeting held on the 30th March 2022

Meeting Papers

Bambara Groundnut

Mung Bean Protein