The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has launched a consultation on proposed reforms to the regulated products authorisation process.
FSA partnered with Food Standards Scotland (FSS) to carry out the consultation, which concerns initial proposals for legislative reform to “streamline the authorisation process for regulated products”.
Regulated products include:
- Food additives
- Flavourings
- Novel foods
- Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) as food and feed
- Food contact materials
- Feed additives.
According to the FSA, the current authorisation process was inherited from the European Union (EU). FSA and FSS boards have reportedly agreed that significant change will be necessary to achieve a high-quality service that can “keep up with the pace of innovation” in the food industry.
The two proposals in the consultation are to:
- Remove renewal requirements for feed additives, food or feed containing, consisting of or produced from GMOs and smoke flavourings
- Allow regulated product authorisations to come into effect on publication, likely to an official register, following a ministerial decision.
FSA highlighted that food businesses, industry trade associations, local and port health authorities and consumers may all wish to take part in the consultation as it seeks feedback on the proposals and potential impacts. Stakeholders are invited to provide any further evidence they may have on the additional impacts that the FSA should consider.
More information about longer-term reform plans will be presented to the FSA and FSS boards in June 2024 and will be subject to separate consultation if taken forward.
