Hemp
Portugal: DGAV publishes "Cannabis as food"
The General Directorate of Food and Veterinary Medicine (DGAV) published on its website a document that explains the use of cannabis as food. The leaflet, dated June 2023, contains a wealth of information regarding food products, cannabinoid limits and contacts for anyone with questions. According to the authority, only the hemp seeds, seed oil, seed flour and hemp leaves can be used as food.
The document, entitled “Cannabis as food”, refers to various aspects of regulating the use of cannabis in food, namely the parts of the plant that can be used, consumer information, labeling and official control.
As such, before being placed on the market, these foods must be subject to an authorization process, in order to guarantee that no foodstuffs that are unsafe are placed on the market. The document refers to the following ingredients, obtained from cannabis, permitted in food production, as they have a history of consumption, including seeds, seed oil, seed flour, partially defatted seeds. The document also includes mention of hemp leaves, for infusions and teas, whose history of food consumption in the EU has been demonstrated. Only the varieties of Cannabis sativa L. listed in the EU Common Catalog of Varieties of Agricultural Plant Species (referred to as hemp) can be used for the infusion of hemp leaves in water, clarifies the document.
In the national market, similarly to what happens in other EU countries, foods containing ingredients/products derived from cannabis are, to a large extent, food supplements, and can also be found in pasta, biscuits and chocolates, among others, he says. the publication. The DGAV makes a specific alert so that products with ingredients derived from cannabis do not display health claims on their labeling, such as mentions relating to the prevention, treatment or cure of diseases, as these are not permitted under Regulation 1924/2006.
Cannabinoids are 'unauthorized novel foods' and THC is toxic
Flowers, leaves and extracts from any part of the plant Cannabis sativa L. are unauthorized novel foods and as such cannot be placed on the market as foods or as food ingredients. Thus, new unauthorized foods are Cannabis sativa L. extracts containing cannabinoids, namely cannabidiol (CBD). Cannabinoids obtained by synthesis are also unauthorized novel foods.
With regard to THC, the document clarifies that, in food, the molecule is seen as a contaminant, within the scope of Regulation no. of 2023mg/kg for the oil.
Read the full document here or download it here:
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[Disclaimer: Please note that this text was originally written in Portuguese and is translated into English and other languages using an automatic translator. Some words may differ from the original and typos or errors may occur in other languages.]____________________________________________________________________________________________________
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I am one of the directors of CannaReporter, which I founded together with Laura Ramos. I am from the unique Island of Madeira, where I currently reside. While I was in Lisbon at FCUL studying Physical Engineering, I became involved in the national hemp and cannabis scene and participated in several associations, some of which I am still a member of. I follow the global industry and especially legislative advances regarding the different uses of cannabis.
I can be contacted by email at joao.costa@cannareporter.eu
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