The European Parliament's committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) has called on the European Commission to propose a new EU strategy to tackle health harm from alcohol. The Resolution also emphasizes the importance of better labeling of alcoholic beverages, including ingredients and nutritional information. The committee has called for the new EU alcohol strategy to be devised between 2016 and 2022. The new EU Alcohol Strategy should strengthen the current regulatory framework on alcohol and help national governments to significantly reduce alcohol related harm and the related costs.
The Committee also urges the Commission to immediately ask the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to re-evaluate the use of acetaldehyde as a flavouring substance in alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and to urge the business operators at all stages of production, processing and distribution to provide the necessary information on the carcinogenicity of acetaldehyde on the label to consumers.
Acetaldehyde is the most common human carcinogen in the world and can be found in high concentrations in many alcoholic beverages.
Member of the European Parliament Sirpa Pietikäinen: 'Acetaldehyde is the most common human carcinogen in the world. Because of that the new alcohol strategy has to act decisively to curb down this risk'.
CEO Semi Korpela, Biohit Oyj: 'Consumers have to have the right to know what they are actually buying. Acetaldehyde is classified as a class 1 carcinogen by IARC (WHO). Sufficient information should be made available about the levels of acetaldehyde in consumer products'.
The committee's motion will be tabled at a full meeting of the European Parliament. If it receives the Parliament's backing, the motion will be formally proposed to the European Commission for follow-up action. The Commission would have to make a formal explanation if it refuses to follow the Parliament's lead.
Additional information: CEO Semi Korpela, Biohit Oyj tel. +358 9 773 861 investor.relations@biohit.fi www.biohithealthcare.com
Biohit in brief
Biohit Oyj is a globally operating Finnish biotechnology company. Biohit's mission is "Innovating for Health" - we produce innovative products and services to promote research and early diagnosis. Biohit is headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, and has subsidiaries in Italy and the UK. Biohit's Series B share (BIOBV) is quoted on Nasdaq Helsinki in the Small cap/Healthcare group. www.biohithealthcare.com
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