Canadian Chia player seeks EU novel foods approval

Canadian food supplements firm Advantage Health Matters has applied for EU novel foods approval for its chia seed products under European Union substantial equivalence rules via UK authorities.

It says its products are substantially the same as Australian firm The Chia Company’s already approved chia seed products.

The Chia Company's seeds are approved in bread products, breakfast cereal, fruit, nut and seed mixes and as 100% packaged latin American-sourced chia seeds.

Other versions are already on-market from by the likes of Benexia-Ingredia and Adnean Grain.

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP)is calling for input on the application until August 20.

Under the European Novel Foods Regulation, if an ingredient or food has already gained novel approval, companies can apply to member states to argue it's version is “substantially equivalent” in composition, nutritional value, metabolism, intended use and level of undesirable substances to a comparable food already approved for the European Union.

The current activity follows The Chia Company approval in 2013 and an initial approval of Robert Craig & Sons’ application in 2009.

Novel food approval is required when a food or ingredient does not have a significant history of consumption within the EU before May 15 1997.