Chromium supplier welcomes EFSA chromium verdict
That recently published opinion means chromium picolinate is likely to be added to the positive list of the 2002 Food Supplements Directive (FSD) and therefore permitted for use in food supplements across the 27-member European Union.
"This is an exciting development for our Ingredients business,” said Nutrition 21 president of ingredients, William J Levi. “Expansion into the European Union is an important component of our growth strategy. We already have active business development projects with potential strategic customers, and expect to announce an exclusive arrangement with a leading European ingredients manufacturer to distribute Chromax chromium picolinate throughout Europe upon formal EU approval."
Chromium picolinate is the company’s top selling nutrient and is said to have diabetes and weight management benefits.
Nutrition 21 worked with Cantox Health Sciences International in compiling its dossier and its senior scientific and regulatory consultant and EU manager, Nigel Baldwin, said the approval showed EFSA’s scientific standards could be met.
“We are pleased with the EFSA's safety assessment of chromium picolinate,” he said. “The standards set by the EFSA are the gold standards for the rest of the world and we believe this bodes well for Nutrition 21."
James Komorowski, Nutrition 21’s vice president in research and development, added that such approvals carried more weight in times where the scientific bar had been raised by many regulators.
"This is extremely important, particularly in recent times, when the safety of certain dietary supplements is being questioned. EFSA's conclusion on chromium picolinate provides our future EU customers with the added security of knowing this product is safe as they make educated decisions on what supplements to purchase."
EFSA also recently approved other forms of chromium as well as zinc, manganese, potassium, and calcium.
The EFSA opinion on chromium picolinate can be found here.
