Safety of chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.) powders, as novel foods, pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283

• Published in: EFSA journal Vol. 17; no. 6; pp. e05716 - n/a
• Main Authors: Turck, Dominique, Castenmiller, Jacqueline, de Henauw, Stefaan, Hirsch‐Ernst, Karen Ildico, Kearney, John, Maciuk, Alexandre, Mangelsdorf, Inge, McArdle, Harry J, Naska, Androniki, Pelaez, Carmen, Pentieva, Kristina, Siani, Alfonso, Thies, Frank, Tsabouri, Sophia, Vinceti, Marco, Cubadda, Francesco, Engel, Karl‐Heinz, Frenzel, Thomas, Heinonen, Marina, Marchelli, Rosangela, Neuhäuser‐Berthold, Monika, Pöting, Annette, Poulsen, Morten, Sanz, Yolanda, Schlatter, Josef Rudolf, Loveren, Henk, Matijević, Leonard, Katrine Knutsen, Helle
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01-06-2019; European Food Safety Authority; John Wiley and Sons Inc; Wiley
• Series: EFSA Journal
• Subjects: Allergenicity; Allergens; Chemical contaminants; chia seeds; Composition; Dietary supplements; Extrusion; Food; Food allergies; Good Manufacturing Practice; Life Sciences; Manufacturing; novel food; Novel foods; Nutrition; partially defatted powders; Particle size; Proteins; Safety; Salvia columbariae; Salvia hispanica; Scientific Opinion; Seeds; Specifications; partially defatted powders; novel food; chia seeds; safety
• ISSN: 1831-4732; 1831-4732; 2314-9396
• DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2019.5716

Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel foods and Food Allergens (NDA) was asked to deliver an opinion on chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.) powders as novel foods (NFs) pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. The NFs are partially defatted chia seed powders, obtained by extrusion of whole seeds of S. hispanica L. with the main differences between two powders in particle sizes and the content of some macronutrients. The information provided on the production processes, composition, batch‐to‐batch variability, stability and specifications of the NFs is sufficient and does not raise safety concerns. The applicant proposed to market the NFs as food supplements and as ingredients in a variety of foods. The target population for the NFs is the general population. Noting that no hazard raising safety concerns (except for allergenicity) could be identified from the information available on the source (i.e. chia seeds), the production processes, composition, specifications and proposed uses of the NFs, irrespectively of the maximum use levels at the proposed uses, the Panel considers that intake estimates and additional toxicological data for the NFs are not needed for this assessment. The Panel concludes that the NFs, partially defatted powders of whole chia seeds, are safe under the assessed conditions of use.