A novel food is a food or food ingredient that doesn’t have a significant history of consumption within the European Union before 15 May 1997.
Dihydrocapsiate occurs naturally in chilli peppers. The company, Ajinomoto, states that dihydrocapsiate can improve energy expenditure and fat oxidation, which can have a role in weight management.
Because chilli peppers contain relatively small amounts of dihydrocapsiate, the company plans to produce dihydrocapsiate synthetically and add this to a range of foods, such as baked goods, beverages, confectionery, cereals and desserts.
Before any new food product can be introduced on the European market, it must be assessed rigourously for safety. In the UK, the assessment of novel foods is carried out by the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP), an independent committee of scientists appointed by the Food Standards Agency.
Source: Food Standards Agency
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