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Food Standards Agency updates guidance allowing CBD businesses to reformulate products on the Public List for safety reasons
England and Wales specific
CBD businesses with applications on the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) Public List are being encouraged to reformulate food products to improve consumer safety. These are products that are currently on sale in England and Wales linked to a credible application submitted for authorisation to the FSA, and are not new to the market.
The changes, published today, encourage businesses to meet a CBD provisional acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 10 mg per day of CBD (equivalent to 0.15 mg/kg of body weight per day of CBD for a 70kg adult) and the THC safe upper limit of 0.07 mg THC per day (equivalent to 1 µg/kg of body weight per day of THC for a 70kg adult). The safe upper limit for THC has been agreed based on advice from our independent scientific advisory committees, also published today. All CBD products must also comply with the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and the 2001 Regulations. The CBD ADI was last updated in October 2023.
The change to guidance encourages compliance with novel food regulations while prioritising public health. Allowing businesses to reformulate their products at this stage will make the authorisation process more efficient, while consumers will benefit from safer CBD products on the market.
‘Our pragmatic approach allows businesses to do the right thing for consumer safety while progressing towards full regulatory compliance. This flexibility creates a clearer path forward for CBD businesses while ensuring products meet our safety standards.’
Businesses with products on the list do not need to contact the FSA if reformulation doesn't affect product details on the list. If reformulation requires product detail amendments, businesses must provide their application number, necessary updates, and confirmation that changes are safety-related.
The FSA advises all CBD food businesses to review product labelling to display the recommended CBD acceptable daily intake limit and include key safety information such as age restrictions and warnings for those who are pregnant or taking medications. We continue to advise that under-18s, people taking medication, and those who are breast feeding, pregnant or trying to conceive do not consume CBD.
This update marks another step in the FSA's work to bring the CBD industry into compliance with food law, supporting both consumer safety and legitimate business growth in this expanding sector.