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 25 June 2012, the company Helm AG made a request to the competent authorities of Ireland to place rapeseed protein on the market as a novel food ingredient. Rapeseed protein is intended to be used as a vegetable protein source in foods except in infant formulae and follow-on formulae. On 18 February 2014, the Commission was notified that Siebte PMI Verwaltungs GmbH had acquired the rights to the pending request.
(2)
On 17 September 2012, the competent food assessment body of Ireland issued its initial assessment report. In that report it came to the conclusion that rapeseed protein meets the criteria for novel food set out in Article 3(1) of Regulation (EC) No 258/97.
(3)
On 4 October 2012, the Commission forwarded the initial assessment report to the other Member States.
(4)
Reasoned objections were raised within the 60-day period laid down in the first subparagraph of Article 6(4) of Regulation (EC) No 258/97.
(5)
On 14 February 2013, the Commission consulted the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) asking it to carry out an additional assessment for rapeseed protein as food ingredient in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 258/97.
(6)
On 10 October 2013, in its ‘Scientific Opinion on the safety of “rapeseed protein isolate” as the Novel Food ingredient’, EFSA concluded that rapeseed protein is safe as a protein added to food. However, it also noted that the risk of sensitisation to rapeseed cannot be excluded and that it is likely that rapeseed can trigger allergic reactions in people allergic to mustard.
(7)
Therefore, the opinion gives sufficient grounds to establish that rapeseed protein as a novel food ingredient complies with the criteria laid down in Article 3(1) of Regulation (EC) No 258/97, provided that the labelling of foods containing rapeseed protein as a food ingredient is such to allow people who are allergic to mustard to avoid consumption of those foods.
(8)
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: