Over 4000+ health claims dossiers submitted to EFSA for review where expected earlier in the summer of 2010 however with vast number to be assessed, EMP elections, and continued discussions between the industry and EFSA has lead to a delay in response. However, recent discussions between EFSA and key European trade organizations have commented that at least some opinions will be released in September. There have been some significant issues with the way generic type health claims would be assessed by EFSA but one of the side issues has been the way these opinions would be released. Initially,...

A recent research trial carried out at the University of Exeter (UK) has suggested that dietary supplementation with beetroot juice reduces the oxygen cost of exercise and ultimately extends the ability of athletes to exercise for longer. However, despite multiple functional food and scientific journals reporting with glowing recommendations on the trial, are there some errors in the design of the trial, which mean its conclusions are critically flawed? The trial was based on the premise that beetroot juice is a rich nitrate source and as such could provide nitrate anion’s, which convert...