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

• Main Authors: EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA), Dominique Turck, Jacqueline Castenmiller, Stefaan de Henauw, Karen Ildico Hirsch‐Ernst, John Kearney, Alexandre Maciuk, Inge Mangelsdorf, Harry J McArdle, Androniki Naska, Carmen Pelaez, Kristina Pentieva, Alfonso Siani, Frank Thies, Sophia Tsabouri, Marco Vinceti, Francesco Cubadda, Karl‐Heinz Engel, Thomas Frenzel, Marina Heinonen, Rosangela Marchelli, Monika Neuhäuser‐Berthold, Annette Pöting, Morten Poulsen, Yolanda Sanz, Josef Rudolf Schlatter, Henk vanLoveren, Leonard Matijević, Helle Katrine Knutsen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2019-06-01
• Series: EFSA Journal
• Subjects: chia seeds; partially defatted powders; novel food; safety
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2019.5716

Abstract 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.