The Food Standards Agency has published its list of CBD brands linked to a Novel Foods application in the UK. Although few CBD products are currently listed, the list will be kept updated as the FSA works through applications from CBD manufacturers and brands.
CBD brands and manufacturers in the UK must have submitted a novel food application for each of their products by 31st March 2021. Brands that did not submit their application by this date must remove their products from the market. The FSA has recommended that products that are linked to a pending application should be permitted to remain on the market until a decision on their authorisation has been made.
Applications are set to be validated and later approved or rejected after this date. The list currently available on the Food Standards Agency website will be regularly updated and is subject to change.
The FSA’s list will be split into two sections as more applications are reviewed. Applications will be listed as “have been validated in the initial stage of the process before going on to the safety assessment” or “are ‘on hold’, with applicants having set out robust plans to complete the risk assessment but yet to supply all the information needed to continue on in the process”.
Novel Foods Certification
CBD products are now required to have Novel Foods authorisation in order to be made available in both UK and EU markets. However, as this requirement came into force after many products were already widely available throughout Europe, CBD manufacturers and brands with products on sale before February 13 2020 are allowed to stay on the market until their retrospective Novel Foods applications are approved or rejected.
In order to gain validation for their Novel Foods applications, manufacturers will need to provide evidence of risk assessment for each product. Applications that are currently “on hold” have not yet provided adequate information for validation but have laid out substantial “evidence of plans to complete the risk assessment process to an acceptable quality”.
If the required information for validation is not provided for “on hold” applications within an acceptable timeframe and to a suitable quality, these products will be removed from the FSA list and will no longer be able to remain on the market.
Learn more about Novel Foods authorisation here.
