FOOD IMPROVEMENT AGENTS PACKAGE

Dr Stephen Johnson

Food Standards Agency

April 2007

Key aspects of the FIA proposals

• Additives, Flavourings, Enzymes, Common procedure

• Simplification

• Comitology

• Regulation = Directly applicable

• Uniform procedures, deadlines and clear requirements. EFSA.

Progress to date

• Within UK (public consultation, updates, RIA)

Codecision

• In the Council

• In the European Parliament

EP progress

Report/

Initial discussion

Other

Amend.

Env. ctte vote

Plenary

Procedure Y Y Y* N

Additives Y Y Y* N

Flavourings Y Y* N N

Enzymes Y Y* N N

Common Procedure

Council

• Comitology (with scrutiny; efficiency)

• Time to bring forward a proposal – 9 mths with consultation

Parliament

• Co-decision

• 9 mths for EFSA

Additives

Council

• Misleading to consumers – new recital

• No change to defn. of processing aids

• Energy reduced food – 25%?

• Levels in food as marketed

• Information obligations on safety and usage

Additives

Council (cont’d)

• ‘other legitimate factors’ – includes the environment

• labelling (simpler; tankers)

• Transitional provision

Flavourings

Council

• ‘Nature identical’ goes

• Natural strawberry flavouring – 90%?

• Substances of concernrisk based approachherbs and spices

Enzymes

Council

• Defn of enzyme preparations

• Authorisation of enzymes

Additives

European Parliament

• Co-decision

• Environmental factors

• Processing aids

• Allergenicity