Future Proof Food Exploring alternative and enhanced food sources - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Health and Consumers

Future Proof Food

Exploring alternative and enhanced food sources

Role of additives, enzymes and flavourings

Wim Debeuckelaere

European Commission DG SANTE, Unit E7

Brussels 5 February 2015

This presentation expresses the views of the author and does not, in any case, bind the European Commission

Health and Consumers

Food safety in the EU

• "Europe has a food safety system of which it can be proud,

and I will seize every opportunity to maintain and improve this system, and to promote it at global level. I believe our food safety system can contribute to President Juncker's plans for a Europe with more jobs and greater prosperity, particularly for small and medium enterprises which make up the bulk of the food sector."

• Vytenis ANDRIUKAITIS, answer to the European Parliament Questionnaire to the

Commissioner-Designate.

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Test Aankoop, November 1966: Consumers learned about food 3

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Food safety in the EU

• Initially, directives on the approximation and of the laws
• f the Member States were adopted.
• The internal EU market was created in 1993.
• During the 80's and 90's there were several crisis.
• In 2000, the European Commission published a White

Paper on Food Safety.

• General food law adopted in 2002.
• Regulation on official controls adopted in 2004.
• New Framework regulations apply in all Member States.

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Conclusion

• EU legislation is fit for purpose:

 A well-developed food safety policy with a complete and mature legal framework.  Considered essential to the interests of citizens, as well as to consumer confidence in a sector of great economic importance for the EU.

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Definitions

• ‘food additive’ means any substance:

 Not normally consumed as a food in itself,  Not normally used as a characteristic ingredient of food,  Intentionally added for a technological purpose in the manufacture, processing, preparation, treatment, packaging, transport or storage of food,  That becomes directly or indirectly a component of the food, including its by-products.

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Conditions of use

 Do not pose a safety concern to the health of the consumer at the level of use proposed;  Reasonable technological need for their use which cannot be achieved by

• ther

economically and technologically practicable means;  Do not mislead the consumer  Advantages and benefits for the consumer  Specific conditions for colours and sweeteners

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Advantages and benefits for the consumer

 preserving the nutritional quality of the food;  providing necessary ingredients for groups of consumers with special dietary needs;  enhancing the keeping quality or stability of a food or improving its organoleptic properties;  aiding in the manufacture, processing, preparation, treatment, packing, transport or storage.

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Contribution to sustainability

• Food improvement agents can:

prolong shelf life improve the efficiency of production process extend the use of primary materials help to create new foodstuffs

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Extending use of primary materials Surimi

Fish proteins from cuts or parts of fish or from not necessarily well known white fish species are rinsed, beaten and pulverized and formed in a paste resulting in an upgraded foodstuff. Polyols, flavour enhancers, flavourings, colours, enzymes etc.

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Extending use of primary materials Formed meat:

ddifferent pieces of meat combined together by other ingredients, including food additives and food enzymes. Controversial issue:

Use of trombine as "glue" to prepare formed fresh meat was rejected during the authorisation procedure by European Parliament.

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Create new foodstuffs

• "Fish egg" look

alikes:

• Seaweed, water, salt and spice

extracts, antioxidants, stabilizers, preservatives, natural colors

• Use of additives recently

authorised.

• Consumer should not be misled

about its real nature

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Create new foodstuffs for the future?

Entomophagy: is the consumption of insects as food.

• More than 1000 species of insects

are known to be eaten in 80% of the world's nations

• Possible authorisation in EU is

under discussion The technological challenge of rendering some of these adapted to wider consumption may require the use of additives and enzymes and

• ther processing aids,

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Food Additives authorised since November 2011

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Better preservation 12 More convenient food 10 Healthier food 6 More attractive food 6 More efficient production 3 New products 2

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Fit for Innovation?

• What is needed:
• Solid legal framework
• Transparent procedures
• Proportionality
• Correct Communication
• Suitable societal factors
• Further guidance

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European Commission, DG Health and Consumers Website http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/fAEF/index_en.htm Wim DEBEUCKELAERE (email: wim.debeuckelaere@ec.europa.eu)

Thank you for your attention

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