European Food Safety Authority

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is an agency of the European Union that assesses risks associated with the food chain and communicates scientific advice. Established in 2002, it provides the scientific basis for decisions on food safety. Its work combines the assessment of available evidence with advice to the authorities responsible for managing risks.

Scientific assessment and decisions

EFSA works mainly in response to questions from the European Commission, the European Parliament and EU Member States, and can also initiate assessments. A mandate defines the question and terms of reference. Experts assess the evidence, a scientific panel or committee discusses the draft, and an adopted assessment is published.

Scientific evaluation and regulatory authorisation are different stages. For feed additives, for example, EFSA assesses safety and efficacy; after a favourable opinion, the European Commission prepares an authorisation regulation, which is considered by Member States.

Publications and their meaning

A scientific opinion answers a defined question, such as an assessment of a substance, a product application or a proposed claim. Its conclusions apply to the object and conditions assessed. A statement is a shorter scientific document that may address an urgent matter or provide a provisional view.

Scientific reports may analyse monitoring data, review literature or compile evidence. EFSA also publishes supporting documents, including external scientific reports prepared by contractors or grant recipients. The views in an external report may differ from EFSA’s official position: publication on the agency’s website and adoption as a scientific opinion are distinct statuses.

Scientific outputs are published in the open-access EFSA Journal. The mandate, assessment and conclusions explain what a particular document answers; its title alone does not describe all of its conditions or limitations.

Dietary reference values

EFSA develops dietary reference values for healthy population groups. They describe nutrient requirements or suitable intake levels and provide a basis for nutrition policy, diet assessment and planning. They are scientific references for professionals, rather than personal intake recommendations. Age, life stage and the type of reference value matter when interpreting a number; people with diseases may have different needs.

The FEEDAP panel

Within EFSA, the Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed, known as FEEDAP, evaluates additives and other substances intended for animal feed. Its remit includes safety for the target animal species, people handling the additive, consumers of animal-derived foods and the environment, as well as efficacy for the intended feed use.

A feed additive application describes the substance, proposed conditions of use, control methods and evidence of safety and efficacy. Feed flavourings, vitamins and digestibility enhancers are examples of additives considered in this context. Here, “efficacy” means the ability to achieve the intended effect in the feed use assessment.

The material, concentration, animal species and use conditions define the scope of a feed assessment. A conclusion about an essential oil as a feed flavouring does not give instructions for applying that oil to human skin or using it in a diffuser. Those uses involve different exposure conditions and are outside that assessment.