CJO - Abstract - Novel foods: an explorative study into their grey area

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    Novel foods: an explorative study into their grey area
    Hans Verhagen, Janneke te Boekhorst, Lisette Kamps, Marten J. van Lieshout, Hilko Ploeger, Daphne Verreth, Seppo Salminen and Henk van Loveren (2009).
    British Journal of Nutrition, Volume 101, Issue 09, May 2009 pp 1270-1277 http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?aid=5542480

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British Journal of Nutrition (2009), 101 : 1270-1277 Cambridge University Press
doi:10.1017/S0007114508184690 (About doi)
Available on CJO 28 January 2009 (?)
 
Cambridge Journals Online - CUP Full-Text Page
British Journal of Nutrition (2009), 101:1270-1277 Cambridge University Press
Copyright © The Authors 2009
doi:10.1017/S0007114508184690

Review Article

Novel foods: an explorative study into their grey area

Hans Verhagena1 c1, Janneke te Boekhorsta2, Lisette Kampsa2, Marten J. van Lieshouta2, Hilko Ploegera2, Daphne Verretha2, Seppo Salminena3 and Henk van Loverena1

a1 National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Centre for Nutrition and Health, PO Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
a2 Wageningen University, PO Box 9101, 6701 BH Wageningen, The Netherlands
a3 University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland
Article author query
verhagen h PubMed  Google Scholar
te boekhorst j PubMed  Google Scholar
kamps l PubMed  Google Scholar
van lieshout mj PubMed  Google Scholar
ploeger h PubMed  Google Scholar
verreth d PubMed  Google Scholar
salminen s PubMed  Google Scholar
van loveren h PubMed  Google Scholar

Abstract

European Union Regulation 258/97 defines novel foods as food products and food ingredients that have not been consumed to a significant degree in the European Union before May 1997. However, there are new foods that for some reason are not considered as novel foods, though we think that safety of these products is not always a priori established. We defined a ‘grey area’ which consists of such foods, and the present paper intends to raise awareness of this ‘grey area’ of unidentified novel foods. The grey area of novel foods is divided into two categories: (1) food products or ingredients for which the current Regulation leaves too much space for different interpretations and (2) food products or ingredients that are not novel according to the current Regulation, because the current Regulation contains gaps. These categories are illustrated by means of products already on the market in The Netherlands. We found about two dozen examples of products that had not been identified as novel foods according the current Regulation, yet could be considered to be classified as novel foods and hence for which a safety evaluation (toxicological and/or nutritional) would be indicated.

(Received August 21 2008)

(Revised November 04 2008)

(Accepted November 05 2008)

(Online publication January 28 2009)

Key Words:Novel foods; European Union Regulation 258/97; Grey areas; Food safety

Correspondence:

c1 Corresponding author: Dr Hans Verhagen, fax +31 30 274 4466, email hans.verhagen@rivm.nl

Footnotes

Abbreviations: EU, European Union; HC, Health Council of the Netherlands (Gezondheidsraad)

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