21 Jul Blendhub shares knowledge in food law with industry professionals
The head of the Legal Department of the company, Olga Enrich, has given a lecture on the new EU legislative framework for so-called New Foods
Olga Enrich, General Counsel of Blendhub, was invited as lecturer in the Master’s Degree in Health Law (including the Food Law). The Center for Higher Studies of the Pharmaceutical Industry (Cesif) and Eupharlaw organize the program. In the four-hour session “New Foods and Ingredients”, she spoke about the legislative changes in New Foods starting next year. Their purpose is to establish the highest food safety guarantees in new commercializations.
Novel products in food law
The Novel food are products that have not been significantly consumed in the European Union before May 1997. The concept applies to both innovative and newly developed foods. Also to food produced thanks to the he latest technological innovations and to traditional products from non-EU countries. Olga Enrich detailed 2015/2283 Regulation by the European Parliament and the Council. It will be applicable from the 1st of January 2018.
“The new regulation aims to simplify the conditions for the marketing of innovative or new foods in the European Union, while maintaining a high level of safety for the consumer”, she explained. As a result, “it promotes innovation and updates current regulations” she added.
One of the great new pieces of legislation it introduces is the creation of a centralized authorization system. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) will carry out a scientific assessment of the risks associated with novel foods. In addition, third parties may not use novel or protected scientific data in the framework of applications for five years.
For their part, the managers of the Master decided to have the participation of Blendhub for the company’s experience in the development of new products. Also, for the innovative nature of initiatives such as CloudBlending. Blendhub launched this model to fulfill its vision to contribute to increase access to food to more people, in more places in a more just and safer maner. One of the bases of food law, as Eupharlaw points out in his blog, is the concept of food security. “In the countries around us it refers to food that meets the standards required by the regulations. In other areas, to the necessary guarantee that people can eat”. Two concepts with which Blendhub works.
Our team
Olga Enrich has extensive experience in legal advice for agri-food companies. For more than two decades she has developed her career in companies such as Danone. She was in different subsidiaries in Spain and Argentina and in the main headquarters in Paris. Olga Enrich has extensive knowledge of sectors such as dairy products, infant food, water and beverages, and medical nutrition. Additionally, she has collaborated with law firms such as Cuatrecasas Gonçalves Pereira. And she has been linked to projects in the pharmaceutical field. Since 2015, she is part of the Blendhub’s management team.