Global specialty chemicals supplier Cognis has announced that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concludes that the safety of Tonalin^® CLA has been established for defined uses as a food ingredient. The EFSA scientific opinion marks a major step to gaining novel food approval for Tonalin^® CLA in Europe.

Cognis was the first company in Europe to seek novel food approval for CLA, and the EFSA safety opinion is a necessary step towards obtaining it. In the next and final step of the approval process, the European Commission will present a draft decision to the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health, which will make a final decision on the application. Tonalin^® CLA has already been granted FDA GRAS status in the US for multiple food applications. It is also the only CLA to achieve novel food approval in China, making it the only product of its kind authorized for use in food products for the rapidly growing Chinese market. In addition, Cognis has recently enhanced Tonalin^® CLA’s taste and sensory properties by incorporating an additional purification step during manufacturing.

“We have been eagerly awaiting this opinion from the EFSA,” says Dr. Arne Ptock, Global Product Line Manager for Tonalin^®. “It represents a significant milestone for Cognis and for our customers toward gaining novel food approval for Tonalin^® CLA. We are confident that we will soon be able to take this final step and we are prepared to support the European market with extensive food application expertise. Our Tonalin^® CLA is already used in functional food products in different regions and recognized by consumers as a premium brand.”

“The issues of weight management and body fat reduction are ever-present in the minds of consumers,” comments Andreas Bais, Marketing Manager Nutrition & Health, Europe. “The demand for Tonalin^® CLA will continue to grow as consumers become more aware of the limitations of ‘quick solutions’ and of the need for a well-balanced and sustainable approach to body composition.”