Imagine reaching for a snack labeled as “boosting immunity” or “supporting heart health,” only to find out there’s little scientific evidence to back those claims. In this episode, Dr. Hans Verhagen, a toxicologist and nutritionist, sheds light on the rigorous yet often overlooked process behind health claims in the food industry. With a background in chemistry and expertise in food toxicology, Dr. Verhagen shares his journey and the challenges of merging toxicology and nutrition in public health.

He breaks down the lengthy EU regulatory process for novel foods and the importance of starting safety considerations early. Dr. Verhagen also critiques systems like Nutri-Score, which, he argues, lack substantial scientific backing. This conversation dives deep into the role of thorough scientific evidence, human studies, and regulation in ensuring safe, effective food products, while addressing emerging challenges in food safety and public trust.

We discussed:

- Introduction and Background

- Challenges in Food Safety and Public Health

- The Lengthy Regulatory Process for Novel Foods

- Key Factors for Making Health and Nutrition Claims

- Recommendations for Companies

- Evaluating Health Claims in the Food Industry

- The Critique of the Nutri-Score System

- Regulation for Food Supplements

- The Role of Policy and Regulation

- Risk Benefit Assessment

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😊 The Guest: ⁠Hans Verhangen⁠⁠

Look into at his consultancy firm

E60: Most Food Companies Make This Mistake About Their Food Safety - with Ex-EFSA Researcher, Prof. Dr. Hans Verhangen

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