IADSA Newsflash for July 2024

• By: AHPA
• On: 07/15/2024 09:45:20
• In: AHPA News

July 15, 2024

AHPA is an active member of IADSA, an association focused on the globalization of food supplement markets and regulatory challenges. AHPA distributes the IADSA Newsflash. This issue covers:

• China has updated the market authorization regulations for ginseng, American ginseng, and Ganoderma.

• Indonesia has issued a new regulation for the labeling of health supplements.

• In India, the Ministry of AYUSH has challenged the Danish safety assessment for ashwagandha which led to its ban in Denmark and other countries.

• Japan is reconsidering its approach to labeling of functional foods in the wake of a recall of red yeast rice products, including the implementation of mandatory good manufacturing practices.

• The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recently undertook discussion of emerging issues in the food supplements category, such as understanding consumer habits regarding supplement consumption and psychedelic products being sold as microdosing supplements on-line.

• EFSA continues work on scientific opinions to be used for setting upper limits for vitamins and minerals.

• The Heads of European Food Safety Agencies have developed a list of substances used in food supplements that should not be used or used only with restrictions. These substances include Actaea racemosa, coumarin in plant preparations, curcumin in Curcuma spp.-preparations, Hypericum perforatum, Lepidium meyenii, Melaleuca spp.-essential oils, melatonin, Ocimum tenuiflorum, piperine, p-synephrine in Citrus spp.-preparations, Tribulus terrestri, tryptophan, and Withania somnifera. 

• EFSA has concluded that the safety of products containing Rheum palmatum L., Rheum officinale Baill., and their hybrids, as well as Rhamnus purshiana DC cannot be established. It is anticipated that Article 8 listing will be pursued.

• EFSA recently released the proceedings of its Scientific Committee on Botanicals working group on toxicity characterization and is expected to update the Compendium on Botanicals database later this year.

• France has issued a caution about the use of ashwagandha in food supplements and the United Kingdom has issued a call for evidence in advance of a safety assessment.

• Brazil has made updates to permitted additives in food supplements and has issued an updated guide on determining shelf life.

• Australia has issued new guidelines for large dosage forms following choking incidents.