2008/985/EC: Commission Decision of 15 December 2008 authorising the placing on the market of leaves of Morinda citrifolia as a novel food ingredient under Regulation (EC) No 258/97 of the European Parliament and of the Council (notified under document number C(2008) 8108)
Date: 2008-12-15
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Belgium, EU Member State, food supplement, foodstuffs legislation, human nutrition, nutrition, scientific research, tea

L 352/46

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

31.12.2008

COMMISSION DECISION

of 15 December 2008
authorising the placing on the market of leaves of Morinda citrifolia as a novel food ingredient
under Regulation (EC) No 258/97 of the European Parliament and of the Council

(notified under document number C(2008) 8108)

(Only the English text is authentic)

(2008/985/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

(9)

with the criteria laid down in Article 3(1) of Regulation
(EC) No 258/97.

The measures provided for
accordance with
Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,

in this Decision are in
Standing
the

opinion

the

of

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Dried and roasted leaves of Morinda citrifolia as specified in the
Annex may be placed on the market in the Community as a
novel food ingredient for the preparation of infusions.

Article 2

The designation of the novel food ingredient authorised by this
Decision on the labelling of the foodstuff containing it shall be
‘Noni leaves’ or ‘leaves of Morinda citrifolia’.

Article 3

Dried and roasted leaves of Morinda citrifolia shall be exclusively
used for the preparation of infusions. They shall be presented in
such a manner that a cup of infusion to be consumed would
not be prepared with more than 1 g of dried and roasted leaves
of Morinda citrifolia.

Article 4

This Decision is addressed to Morinda Inc., 333 West River Park
Drive, Provo, Utah 84604, USA.

Done at Brussels, 15 December 2008.

For the Commission

Androulla VASSILIOU
Member of the Commission

Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 258/97 of the European
Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 1997 concerning
novel foods and novel food ingredients (1), and in particular
Article 7 thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

On 10 November 2004 Baker & McKenzie on behalf of
Morinda Inc., made a request to the competent auth­
orities of Belgium to place the leaves of Morinda citrifolia
on the market as a novel food ingredient.

On 30 November 2005 the competent food assessment
body of Belgium issued its initial assessment report. In
that report it came to the conclusion that an additional
assessment was required.

The Commission forwarded the initial assessment report
to all Member States on 21 March 2006.

Some Member States raised additional questions about
the safety of the leaves of Morinda citrifolia.

Therefore the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
was consulted on 14 November 2006.
On 10 July 2008 EFSA adopted the ‘Opinion of the
Scientific Panel on dietetic Products, Nutrition and
Allergies on a request from the Commission related to
the safety of leaves from Morinda citrifolia L.’.

In the opinion the panel came to the conclusion that the
citrifolia leaves for the
use of dried and roasted M.
preparation of
the anticipated levels of
intake is safe.

infusions at

On the basis of the scientific assessment, it is established
that dried and roasted leaves of Morinda citrifolia comply

(1) OJ L 43, 14.2.1997, p. 1.

31.12.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 352/47

ANNEX

SPECIFICATIONS OF DRIED AND ROASTED LEAVES OF MORINDA CITRIFOLIA

Description
After cutting, the leaves of Morinda citrifolia are subject to drying and roasting steps. The product has a particle size
ranging from broken leaves to coarse powder with fines. It is of greenish brown to brown colour.

Composition of dried and roasted leaves of M. citrifolia

Moisture

Protein

Carbohydrate

Ash

Fat

Oxalic acid

Tannic acid

< 5,2 %

17 to 20 %

55 to 65 %

10 to 13 %

4-9 %

< 0,14 %

< 2,7 %

5,15-dimethylmorindol

less than 47 mg/kg

Rubiadin

Lucidin

non detectable

non detectable