Withdrawal and Recall from the Market Products Containing Garcinia cambogia 

    As of April 18, the sale, importation, and introduction of Food Supplements containing Garcinia cambogia will be suspended in France for 1 year.

    This decision follows a recommendation from the French National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES), which identified significant health risks associated with hydroxycitric acid (HCA), the active ingredient present in the plant. An official decree from the French Ministry of Health, published on April 17, mandates that all operators in the sector must withdraw affected products from the market and recall them from consumers.

    It is important to note that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is currently evaluating hydroxycitric acid, the main active compound in Garcinia cambogia. The decisions and actions taken by ANSES come as precautionary measures.

ANSES Proposes Reclassification of CBD as a Reproductive Toxicant

    The French National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES) has proposed classifying Cannabidiol (CBD) as a presumed human reproductive toxicant.

    This recommendation is based on animal studies indicating that CBD may negatively affect fertility, fetal development, and affect breastfed infants. If accepted, this could significantly impact the CBD market in Europe, including Food Supplements.

    The proposal has been submitted to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and is open for public consultation until May 16. After this period, the ECHA’s Risk Assessment Committee will evaluate the feedback and will issue its opinion on the harmonised classification.

    EFSA continues its review of CBD’s safety as a novel food.

Revision of National MPLs for Vitamins & Minerals

    For nearly 20 years, the French decree regarding Vitamins & Minerals has seen minor updates since its initial publication. However, in September of last year, the Directorate General for Food (DGAL) directed ANSES to provide a scientific opinion on an updated draft decree. ANSES led to a review of the proposed Maximum Permitted Levels (MPLs) for a large number of these ingredients.

    Although drafts of the new decree were circulated in the last quarter of 2024, DGAL has informed that a new decree will not be published in 2025. This “delay” is due to the ongoing harmonisation process overseen by the European Commission. However, DGAL also indicated that if this harmonisation process does not complete by the end of 2026, the French authorities will proceed with publishing the updated French Decree in early 2026.

This is a developing narrative; we will update it as new information emerges.