Technical Report on the notification of dried fronds of Durvillaea incurvata (Suhr) Macaya as a traditional food from a third country pursuant to Article 14 of Regulation (EU) 2015/2283

Abstract

A notification from Buenalimento S.L. (Chile) has been submitted to the European Commission under Article 14 of Regulation [European Union (EU)] 2015/2283 to place on the market dried fronds of Durvillaea incurvata (Suhr) Macaya as a traditional food from a third country (TF). In line with Article 15(2) of that Regulation, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) was asked by the European Commission whether there are duly reasoned safety objections to the placing on the market of the TF within the EU. The TF consists of the dried fronds of the brown algae D. incurvata that, according to the applicant, have been consumed for more than 25 years in Chile. The TF is proposed to be marketed in the EU in various dried forms, including whole intact fronds, chopped fronds or small and formless sifted fronds fragments. Based on the cadmium, iodine and inorganic arsenic content in the TF, EFSA considers that the TF may pose a safety risk to human health. Thus, EFSA raises safety objections to the placing on the market within the EU of the TF (dried fronds of D. incurvata).