Consultation request to determine novel food status, pursuant to Article 4(2) of Retained Regulation (EU) 2015/2283

Vitamin B12 Mushrooms and Selenium Mushrooms

FSA reference: RP 1153

Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS)

Name and description of the food concerned:

1. fresh button mushrooms (Agaricus Bisporus) containing standardised levels of B12 as a result of supplementation of the growing substrate; and
2. fresh button mushrooms containing standardised levels of selenium as a result of supplementation of the growing substrate.

Definition of novel food

Article 3 (2)(a) of Retained Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 defines a ‘novel food’ as any food that was not used for human consumption to a significant degree within the European Union (EU) or the United Kingdom (UK) before 15 May 1997, irrespective of the dates of accession of Member States, and which falls into one of the categories set out at sub-paragraphs (i) to (x) of that provision.

Status

The FSA/FSS determine the Vitamin B12 Mushrooms and Selenium Mushrooms are not novel foods.

Reasons statement

The FSA/FSS were provided with evidence of a history of consumption of button mushrooms within the UK and the EU. The FSA/FSS were provided with evidence of a history of consumption within the UK and the EU of button mushrooms with varied and raised levels of B12 and selenium, resulting from farming practices that supplemented the growing substrate. Based on the evidence provided, the FSA/FSS have concluded that neither the Vitamin B12 Mushrooms nor the Selenium Mushrooms fall within the categories defined in Article 3 of 2015/2283 and are therefore not novel.