The UK is nearing the end of a six year regulatory process that has led to the first approvals of CBD food products. But the approvals are likely to be short-lived as Britain prepares to align the safety standards in its food system with those of the European Union.
The UK Food Standards Agency recommends approval of three applications that cover approximately 3,000 products. The board of the agency is expected to review the recommendations on September 16th. After that, they would be forwarded to ministers from England and Wales. Scotland is examining the applications separately.
First in Line
The applicants are Chanelle McCoy CBD Ltd. Cannaray Brands Ltd. EIHA Projects GmbH (the consortium created by the European Industrial Hemp Association – EIHA). All three companies have successfully completed their safety assessments and public consultation.
The EIHA is the largest application, with thousands of products and companies who shared the cost of toxicology tests and the novel food application process.
EU rules loom
The FSA has set a provisional daily CBD intake for adults of 10 milligrams. The European Food Safety Authority set a much lower threshold this year. It is equivalent to approximately 2 mg per day for a 70 kg adult.
This difference could be critical in the future sanitary and phytosanitary agreement between Britain and the EU. If the novel foods are not excluded, then existing British authorizations will cease to be valid and future CBD approvals will fall under EU regulations.
The UK government has set a deadline of 2027 for the implementation of the agreement. This could leave companies who have spent years seeking British approval facing a new regulatory transition shortly after they reach the end.
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