What is EFSA and what does it assess for curcumin?
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) is the EU agency based in Parma that scientifically assesses whether foods, additives and health claims are safe or substantiated. Approval decisions are then taken by the European Commission and the member states.
What is EFSA?
EFSA was founded in 2002 and advises the EU on food and feed safety as an independent agency. The division of roles matters: EFSA assesses scientifically (risk assessment), while the decision on authorisations and rules is taken by the European Commission and member states (risk management). For food supplements it matters on two levels: the safety of substances and health claims.
EFSA and curcumin
Curcumin is authorised in the EU as a food colour, E 100. EFSA re-evaluated this additive and derived an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 0–3 mg per kilogram of body weight. This relates to its use as a colour in foods, not to high-dose supplements.
You often read that EFSA classes curcumin as “GRAS”. Strictly speaking, GRAS is a term of the US FDA. EFSA uses its own procedures. In studies, curcumin doses far above the colour level were well tolerated for weeks to months, yet rare reports of liver reactions exist. Details are in the article on side effects.
Two roles of EFSA for supplements
What the agency is responsible for
| Area | Question | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Area Safety | Question Is a substance safe in a given amount? | Example Assessment of additives such as E 100 |
| Area Health claims | Question Is a claimed effect scientifically substantiated? | Example Review of health claims under the Health Claims Regulation |
Health claims: why are there so few promises?
In the EU, businesses may only make authorised health claims (Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006). EFSA reviews whether a link between substance and effect is scientifically substantiated. For curcumin and turmeric no such health claim is currently authorised. Reputable providers therefore talk about study findings and absorption, not healing effects. How robust statements are depends on the evidence.
Frequently asked questions
Is EFSA an approval authority? No. It provides scientific opinions. Decisions are then made politically and legally by the European Commission and member states.
Are there EFSA-authorised claims for curcumin? Not at present. That does not mean curcumin is ineffective, only that sufficient evidence for a specific claim has not been accepted so far.
Does the ADI also apply to capsules? It was derived for curcumin as food colour E 100. Supplements often deliver much more. For them the overall picture of study evidence, tolerability data and quality counts. With pre-existing conditions or medication, use belongs in a conversation with a doctor.
Who is responsible in Germany? Additionally, the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) assesses risks, and the official food control of the federal states monitors products.
An EFSA assessment of a substance is not a product approval. How clean an individual product is shows only in batch quality control, such as testing for content and heavy metals.
