New rules designed to increase transparency in the EU food safety risk assessment process have been adopted. The European Parliament ratified the proposals, which have already been agreed with EU ministers [17 April]. MEPs passed the regulation, which intends to make food safety assessments more “reliable, transparent and objective”….
The updated regulations aim to build trust in the food safety approvals process. According to the European Commission, European citizens report a lack of trust over the transparency of European Food Safety Authority’s risk analysis, particularly for the authorization dossiers.
EFSA’s food safety assessments are currently primarily based on industry studies – data and information generated and funded by the applicant – and this has led to a degree of suspicion. According to the EC’s assessment, such misgivings are compounded by the strict confidentiality rules EFSA operates under regarding these studies, which are currently not publicly disclosed.
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The most significant change under the new rules will see the creation of a common European Database of commissioned studies. The intent is to deter companies applying for authorization of food stuffs from withholding unfavorable studies from regulators.
Read full, original article: Europe’s new rules for food safety approval: Building trust in science?
