186 applications were withdrawn at various stages during the evaluation process, and EFSA received insufficient scientific evidence to be able to assess around half of the remaining applications. Possible safety concerns were identified in relation to 39 applications./p>

John-Christian Larsen, the Chair of EFSA’s Panel on additives and nutrient sources added to food (the ANS Panel), said: “Millions of people across Europe regularly take food supplements in addition to their normal diet. The work of the Panel will help to ensure that the sources of vitamins and minerals used in food supplements which are sold in the EU are safe and can effectively provide these nutrients to the body.”

“Completing this huge task in line with the challenging deadline agreed with the European Commission is an important milestone in EFSA’s work in the area of consumer protection, and represents a significant achievement for the ANS Panel in particular. I would like to thank all of the scientists involved for their hard work.”

Food supplements are concentrated sources of nutrients or other substances with a nutritional or physiological effect, whose purpose is to supplement the normal diet. Examples of the substances assessed by EFSA included chromium nitrate used in food supplements as a source of chromium, and vitamin B12-enriched yeast used in supplements as a source of vitamin B12.

EU Directive 2002/46/EC specifies that only nutrient sources whose safety and bioavailability have been assessed by EFSA and listed in the relevant Annex of the Directive can continue to be used in food supplements from 1 January 2010.

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