Views wanted on novel food ingredient

Monday 2 April 2007

The Agency is consulting on the initial draft opinion, by independent experts, on the use of an ice structuring protein preparation as a novel food ingredient.

Ice structuring proteins (ISPs) are naturally occurring proteins and peptides, which are found in a variety of living organisms (such as fish, plants and insects). ISPs protect these organisms from tissue damage in very cold conditions by lowering the temperature at which ice crystals grow and by changing the size and shape of the ice crystals.

The applicant, Unilever, wants to use ISPs in ice creams and similar products to influence the formation of ice structure during their manufacture.

Before any new food product can be introduced on the European market it must be rigorously assessed for safety. In the UK, the assessment of novel foods is carried out by an independent committee of scientists appointed by the Food Standards Agency, the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP).

Following an initial public consultation period and the discussion of this application by the ACNFP at its meetings between July 2006 and March 2007, the committee has formulated a draft initial opinion on this novel food ingredient. Any comments should be sent to the ACNFP Secretariat by 16 April 2007 and will be passed to the committee before it finalises its opinion on this novel food ingredient.