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The Advisory Committee for Novel Food and Processes (ACNFP) has reviewed an application from a company seeking authorisation for the compound D-ribose to be used as a novel food ingredient. The ACNFP, which is an independent committee of scientists appointed by the FSA, has completed its assessment and is now asking for comments on the draft opinion.

D-ribose

D-ribose is a naturally occurring 5-carbon sugar that is present in all living cells. In the human body, ribose is produced via the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). The applicant states that D-Ribose produced by the bacterium Bacillus subtilis is intended for use as an energy source in a range of foods, including food supplements.

The ACNFP has completed its assessment and is now asking for comments on the draft opinion, which can be found via the link below, before it is finalised by the committee.

D-Ribose Draft Opinion (538.64 KB)

Deadline for comments

Any comments on the draft opinion should be emailed to the ACNFP secretariat at acnfp@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk by Monday 1 February 2016 and will be passed to the committee before it finalises its assessment of this novel food ingredient.

About novel foods

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. Before any new food product can be introduced on the European market it must be rigorously assessed for safety. In the UK, the assessment of novel foods is carried out by the ACNFP.

D-Ribose. EC No. 90

April 2008: Application from Bioenergy, Inc., for the authorisation of D-Ribose from Bacillus subtilis under the Novel Food Regulation (EC) 258/97. Under evaluation.