EFSA publishes draft guidance to clarify health claim application criteria

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published an updated guidance for the evaluation of health claims in order to more clearly define the scientific criteria for applications.

The guidance document is subject to public consultation and interested parties have until 11 September 2015 to submit comments on the draft document.

The EFSA says that since the original guidance was published in 2011, its Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies has gained considerable experience in evaluating claims. Therefore the Panel decided that a number of issues required further clarification to help applicants prepare and submit their health claims for scientific evaluation.

The guidance aims to give applicants a clearer understanding of: the general principles which the NDA Panel applies to the scientific evaluation of health claim applications; and the elements – scientific, administrative and procedural –which applicants should take into account when compiling their applications.

Comments may be submitted online at http://bit.ly/1Kfrx9V.