AS the dust settles on the release of the UK Food Standards Agency’s first Public List of Validated Novel Food CBD applications, it’s fair to say that a significant milestone has been reached.

It passed under the radar initially, but what we have witnessed is the first ‘natural cannabis-based compound to have been validated as a food ingredient in the UK’.

In the European Union CBDepot synthesised CBD achieved this milestone in 2020, and Monday’s FSA announcement saw synthesised CBD from two suppliers achieve UK Validation.

However, Czech firm CBDepot – one of the companies to achieve a UK synthesised CBD validation this week –  has also achieved a significant cannabis industry first.

Milestone For Hemp Industry

Boris Baňas, founder and Chief Sales Officer of CBDepot said: “This is very important; a very significant milestone for the hemp Industry.

“We have now the first cannabis-based compound to have been validated for the risk assessment as a food ingredient.

“Our application for plant-based CBD in the EU has not been Validated yet, it may have passed the initial EFSA suitability stage, but it has not been Validated and passed on to scientific advisors for a risk assessment.

“So, for our natural plant CBD isolate to have reached this stage shows that natural plant extracts have a place in the UK food industry.”

Public List Updated Weekly

The FSA has said it will be updating the Regulated Products CBD Novel Food Public List on a weekly basis, with this process expected to be complete by June, it says.

Monday’s first public list included 23 products from two primary applicants, with synthesised CBD company Pureis CBD appearing alongside CBDepot with their R&D & brand partners 4MP and CBDex.

Pureis CBD validation features 11 products – a variety of drops, sprays and capsules.

Whilst 4MP, features 10 products including; chews, oils and sprays in concentrations from 5% to 15% CBD. CBDex included two natural plant isolate tinctures in concentrations of 5% and 10% CBD.

Scott Cooper, Director Product & Business Development, at 4MP Technologies said its appearance on this first iteration of the Public List ‘came as a complete shock’.

“We expected to fall under the radar with a further dozen-or-so other companies. To be on the Public List with a clean validation is quite an achievement.

Sporting CBD Range

“Our joint teams spent a lot of time developing the primary product offering, and a secondary product offering we plan to add to the Public List later in the year,” he added.

He went on to say 4MP is now looking to upscale its production capacity in the UK and continue to deliver on its amateur and professional sports-focused Pure CBD ranges, as well as CBD snack ranges such as granola bars and coated mixed nuts, seeds and fruits.

For its two base ingredients CBDepot had undertaken a full complement of Tier 1 and Tier 2 studies, and all of them required the necessary Genotoxicity, the Sub-chronic 90-day toxicity and Toxicokinetcs trials.

With UK Validation complete, its applications will now be passed on to the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) scientific advisors for a safety assessment and if successful will be Authorised for sale on the UK market.

Mr Baňas said that its novel food consultants had found no evidence of CBD having any harmful effects based on the data it generated in 2020.

Although, he went on to say that its EFSA application was on voluntary hold until May, as it requires further information which will be shared with the UK FSA once available.