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Today, ANSES is publishing its opinions and reports on the updating of the food consumption guidelines for the French adult population. This work aimed to formulate, for the first time, consumption guidelines for the main food groups in order to meet the nutritional requirements of the adult population, while taking into account the challenges associated with the presence of certain chemical contaminants in food. The Agency's opinion has resulted in major changes with regard to the previous recommendations. This mainly concerns the greater role to be played by pulses, wholegrain cereal products, vegetables and fruits, as well as certain vegetable oils. Conversely, the Agency insists on the need to limit the consumption of meat excluding poultry, and especially of delicatessen meats (charcuterie) and sugar-sweetened beverages. Lastly, the Agency reiterates the need to reduce the levels of certain contaminants in food (organic arsenic, acrylamide, lead) and repeats its recommendation that consumers diversify their diet and the sources of supply.

The national nutrivigilance scheme, managed by ANSES, collects reports of adverse effects likely to be related to the consumption of food supplements for athletes. These reports, and the widespread consumption in several sports disciplines of these types of products, which aim to develop muscle or reduce body fat, have led ANSES to draw attention to the potential health risks. Effects that are potentially serious for some users, primarily cardiovascular (tachycardia, arrhythmia and stroke) and psychological (anxiety and mood disorders), have been observed. The Agency therefore advises against the use of these food supplements by people with cardiovascular risk factors or suffering from heart disease, impaired kidney or liver function, or neuropsychiatric disorders, or by children, adolescents, and pregnant or breastfeeding women. ANSES also recommends avoiding the consumption of food supplements containing caffeine before and during any sporting activity, as well as the concomitant consumption of several food supplements, or their combined consumption with medicinal products. In addition, ANSES reiterates the need to seek advice from a healthcare professional before taking food supplements.

ANSES is today publishing the 2016 CIQUAL table, the reference tool for the nutritional composition of foods, available free of charge on the Internet. Many new data have been added. The CIQUAL table now provides a detailed nutritional profile covering 61 different constituents for the 2600 foods most widely consumed in France, and thus becomes one of the most comprehensive tables of its kind in Europe. It is also a resource that can be exploited by doctors specialising in nutrition, dieticians, researchers in nutrition and public health, and by manufacturers in the food sector.