THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 258/97 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 1997 concerning novel foods and novel food ingredients, and in particular Article 7 thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
On 6 April 2009 the company Cantox Health Sciences International, on behalf of Nutrition 21, made a request to the competent authorities of Ireland to place Chromium Picolinate on the market as a novel food ingredient.
(2)
On 24 April 2009 the competent food assessment body of Ireland issued its initial assessment report. In that report it came to the conclusion that an additional assessment was required.
(3)
The Commission informed all Member States about the request on 30 April 2009. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) was requested to carry out the assessment on 12 August 2009.
(4)
On 10 November 2010 following a request from the Commission, EFSA adopted an opinion on the safety of Chromium Picolinate as a source of chromium added for nutritional purposes to foods for the general population and to foods for particular nutritional uses. In the opinion EFSA concluded that Chromium Picolinate is not of safety concern provided the amount of total chromium does not exceed 250 μg per day, the value established by the World Health Organisation for supplemental intake of chromium that should not be exceeded.
(5)
Commission Regulation (EC) No 953/2009 of 13 October 2009 on substances that may be added for specific nutritional purposes in foods for particular nutritional uses and/or Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on the addition of vitamins and minerals and of certain other substances to foods lay down specific provisions for the use of vitamins, minerals and other substances in food. The use of Chromium Picolinate should be authorised without prejudice to the requirements of this legislation.
(6)
The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: