The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has made a general request for data on food colours, as part of a systematic re-evaluation of all authorised food additives it is carrying out on behalf of the European Commission.
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EFSA has been asked by the European Commission to conduct the review in the interests of consumer protection, taking account of new information that has come to light since the original assessments were made, and giving top priority to colours. The authority’s brief is to provide scientific advice on colours from early-2007. The call for data is aimed at all parties holding important information that should be included in the re-evaluations, EFSA said.
Some 45 colours are to be re-assessed by EFSA’s panel on food additives, flavourings, processing aids and materials in contact with food, during the next months.
Re-evaluations such as this are carried out periodically to keep the EU’s food safety regulations up to date with scientific progress. “To ensure a high level of consumer protection, all authorised food additives in the EU have been evaluated for their safety and the European legislation on food additives requires that these substances be re-evaluated where necessary in the light of new scientific information and changing conditions of use,” EFSA said in a statement.
