Targeted Stakeholder Meeting with food business representatives on EFSA’s draft Opinion on plant preparations containing berberine
Background
On 29 January 2026, EFSA’s NDA Panel endorsed a “draft Opinion on the safety of plant preparations containing berberine pursuant to Article 8(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006” and released for public consultation to gather input from stakeholders before finalisation. The public consultation is open from 3 March to 11 May 2026. In line with EFSA’s commitment to engaging with its stakeholders and improving understanding of its work, a stakeholder meeting will be held with interested food business representatives.
The plants and plant parts covered by the draft opinion are: Berberis aquifolium Pursh (root), Berberis aristata DC (root, bark), Berberis vulgaris L. (root, bark), Chelidonium majus L. (herb), Coptis japonica (Thunb.) Makino (rhizome), Coptis teeta Wall. (rhizome), Coptis trifolia (L.) Salisb. (rhizome), Coscinium fenestratum (Goetgh.) Colebr. (root, stem), Hydrastis canadensis L. (rhizome), Jateorhiza palmata (Lam.) Miers (root), Phellodendron amurense Rupr. (bark), Thalictrum flavum L. (root), Tinospora sinensis (Lour.) Merr. (root, stem, leaf).
Objectives of the meeting
- Present the scientific basis, rationale, and data gaps identified in EFSA’s assessment.
- Encourage informed stakeholder input during the public consultation phase and facilitate the submission of comments.
The meeting focused on EFSA’s scientific assessment and was NOT intended to address any potential actions that risk managers may take based on EFSA’s Opinion, as this falls outside EFSA’s remit. The meeting was not recorded. The slides presented during the meeting are published at the end of this webpage in the Documents.
Contact
To request further information on this meeting, do not hesitate to contact Ask EFSA for more information.