KEY INTERVIEW: EU Green Light for an Equivalent Chia Seed

14 Oct 2014 --- Andean Grain Products Ltd. just received EU Novel Foods approval from the UK Food Standards Agency on the “equivalence” of their chia seeds, which are grown in particular regions of South America, with the chia seeds marketed by The Chia Company that are grown in Australia. The European Novel Foods Regulation includes a simplified approval procedure for when a company believes its novel food is substantially equivalent to a food that is already on the market.

In such a situation, the applicant can submit a notification to the European Commission after obtaining an opinion on equivalence from an EU member state – in this case the UK.

Chia is a summer annual herbaceous plant belonging to the Labiatae family. It grows from a seedling to develop lush green foliage before it produces long flowers which are either purple or, less commonly, white. These flowers develop into seed pods to produce chia seeds. Although chia is grown commercially in several Latin American countries and Australia, the seeds have not been consumed to a significant degree in Europe. The applicant’s chia seeds will be used in the same products as those for which approval has been granted last year for The Chia Company’s seeds (bread products, breakfast cereal, fruit, nut and seed mixes and bread and 100% packaged chia seeds).

This list does limit manufacturers, as innovation is clearly possible beyond these applications. “There are quite a few very interesting products that incorporate chia in the US, such as drinks and yogurts that we cannot do in the EU, because they are not covered by this list. In order to expand this list further, we or another company would have to submit a new Novel Foods application that would show the possible allergen impacts in other types of foods,” Thomas J. Spillane, Director, Andean Grain Products Ltd. told FoodIngredientsFirst.

Andean Grain produces from its own farms located in the Salta province of Argentina, in the northwest of the country, along the edge of the Andes mountain range. The company also sources and contracts production with independent farmers and suppliers in Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru under the guidance and management of an experienced team.

Despite the application restrictions in Europe, Spillane is confident of a burgeoning potential EU market for chia. “Chia is a very new product in the EU that is still growing very strongly, with a lot of people becoming more aware of it. I think that we, or another company, will eventually expand the use of chia seeds in the near future. The UK is the largest EU market for these types of products right now, with chia growing very strongly. I see more innovation within the limits in the UK for some of these products. Germany and the Netherlands are also growing quite strongly.”

The company is currently able to supply well over 1,000 tons per year at the moment. However, they are looking at a much stronger demand now that the Novel Foods approval has taken place and expanding capacity as a result. “We are opening a warehouse in Rotterdam to be able to supply to Europe in smaller quantities. There are only so many companies that can buy a full container load in Europe at the moment, but there are probably thousands who can buy a ton. So we are working on being able to supply these customers in the very near future,” he notes.

One of the key reasons for the growth of chia is the vast number of health benefits associated with the grain. The company claims that in a one-ounce (28g) sample, dried chia seeds contain 9% of the Daily Value for protein (4g), 13% fat (9g) (64% of which is ALA) and 42% dietary fiber (11g), based on a daily intake of 2,000 calories. The seeds also contain essential minerals including phosphorus, manganese, calcium, potassium and sodium in amounts comparable to other edible seeds, such as flax or sesame.

Various health platforms have been identified as potential future routes:
• Healthy Heart: Chia seeds not only contain natural antioxidants, but they also hold the highest known concentration of plant based Omega-3 essential fatty acids, which studies show are important to the health of our hearts and other vital organs.
• Brain Power: As they are for the heart, Omega-3 fatty acids are important to brain health and function. Studies suggest they can improve nerve function and alleviate symptoms associated with a number of conditions, such as OCD and ADHD.
• Endurance: Chia seeds are a whole, unprocessed food that our bodies break down slowly, balancing blood sugar levels and giving endurance for the long haul.
• Hydration: Chia seeds have amazing absorptive properties: they can absorb 9 to 12 times their weight in water. When you consume them, your body is getting prolonged hydration and retaining important electrolytes.

But Spillane admits that it could be some time before any of these claims could be made in the EU. “The health claim side of things is very difficult in the EU compared to other places. In the US it is much easier to claim health benefits for these types of products,” he adds.

Instead Andean Grain Products will focus on the perceived benefits of nutritious grains amid trends towards ancient grains and gluten free. “So we are working on grains like chia, but also quinoa and amaranth, that are gluten free, high in nutritious aspects and part of the growing trend in the US, Europe and moving to the rest of the world. We see a lot of opportunities in Asia and Australia going forward,” he concludes.

By Robin Wyers