November date for aspartame opinion

EFSA and the European Commission have agreed to extend the timeframe for the full re-evaluation of aspartame, rescheduling it for November this year.

The decision will, says the safety authority, allow it sufficient time to consider and address feedback, including new information, resulting from the public consultation on its draft opinion.

From the comments received, experts on EFSA’s Scientific Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources Added to Food (ANS Panel) say they have identified aspects of their draft opinion and key steps in their scientific approach that they would like to clarify further before finalising their conclusions.

“This will ensure that EFSA’s scientific advice fully integrates information received, and that those with an interest in this work will be able to easily understand how the panel derived its conclusions,” says an EFSA spokesman.