FSA Receives Glucosamine Hydrochloride Application

August 23, 2006

2006-08-21 - Food Standards Agency (UK)

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Monday 21 August 2006

The Agency has received an application to use glucosamine

hydrochloride in a range of foods, including smoothies and sports

drinks.

The company, Cargill, has asked the Agency to approve glucosamine

hydrochloride from Aspergillus niger as a novel food ingredient. A

novel food is a food or food ingredient that does not have a

significant history of consumption within the European Union before

15 May 1997.

Cargill wants to use its glucosamine as an ingredient in a range of

pasteurised food products. These will include fruit juices and fruit

juice products, such as tomato, tomato mixtures and fruit;

smoothies, dehydrated instant drink mixes, fermented milk-based

products, such as yoghurts and fromage frais, sports drinks and iced

tea drinks.

Background

Glucosamine is a naturally occurring amino-sugar that is a major

building block of complex proteins called glycosaminoglycans, which

form part of the structure of cartilage.

Cargill's glucosamine is produced through chitin sourced from a

fungus, Aspergillus niger, whereas all other known commercial

glucosamine products are derived from shellfish. Chitin is the white

hard substance that is found, for example, in crab and lobster

shells.

Before any new food product can be introduced on the European

market, it must be rigorously assessed for safety. In the UK, this

assessment is carried out by an independent committee of scientists

appointed by the Food Standards Agency, the Advisory Committee on

Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP).

Deadline for comments

Any comments on this application should be sent to the ACNFP

Secretariat by 10 September 2006 and will be passed to the Committee

before it finalises its opinion.

Glucosamine hydrochloride Application

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