Dr.Benny Antony ‘s comment on Nutrition Insight
30 Aug 2024 — As European food authorities highlight potential health issues associated with ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), the nutrition industry underscores the ingredient’s safety, supported by research data. At the same time, companies highlight how the increased scrutiny helps drive higher safety and quality standards. They call on stakeholders and manufacturers to submit robust and comprehensive safety data to authorities. The ingredient, used in traditional remedies for thousands of years, has been banned in Denmark after a risk assessment concluded that it could not set a daily intake limit under which there would be no risk of harmful effects. Earlier this year, the Netherlands and France advised certain population groups against using the botanical. In this last article of our three-part series on ashwagandha, Nutrition Insight discusses the market impact of the increased scrutiny of the botanical with key market players Arjuna Natural and Sabinsa. In earlier installments, we examined food safety authorities’ evaluations and discussed the available data on the botanical’s potential health risks with botanical experts. “The recent ban on ashwagandha by authorities in countries like Denmark seems to contradict the extensive scientific and traditional evidence supporting its safety and benefits,” says Dr. Benny Antony, joint managing director at Arjuna Natural. Ref: https://www.nutritioninsight.com/news/unjustified-ban-industry-responds-to-ongoing-scrutiny-of-ashwagandha-safety.html