Nutrition and Health Claims on Food Labelling

For many people, choosing foods increasingly means looking at food labels: checking the nutrition panel, the ingredients panel, and the bright bold statements on the front of packaging. Claims about the amounts of nutrients in (or not in) a food are often the first and the strongest impression people get about the healthiness of a food. And from 1 of July of this year, new rules will control what can be declared on food labels.

Regulations and guidelines defining nutrient claims on food labels in the UK have been in place for many years, but these will now be replaced by the new EU regulation on nutrition and health claims (EC/1924/2006). The regulation applies to all commercial communication (labelling and advertising) of foods, and applies to marketing in all 27 EU Member States.

The first set of controls will cover nutrition claims, which define the presence or the relative amounts of particular nutrients in a food. Agreed definitions include, for example, statements about energy, fat, saturated, sugar, salt, fibre and vitamins and minerals. Terms such as ‘lite’ and ‘natural’ are also defined. A product with a nutrient claim ‘low fat’ would not be permitted to contain more than 3 grams of fat per 100 grams of the food (or 1.5 grams if it is a liquid). If the claim for a food was ‘fat free’ then the fat content would have to be less than half a gram per 100 grams. The claim ‘x% fat free’ eg ‘90% fat free’ to describe a food with a fat content of 10%, is no longer permitted under the new regulations. Enhanced nutrient contents are also defined. So a food with the claim that it was a source of fibre would need to contain more than 3 grams in 100 grams; ‘high fibre’ would need to contain at least twice that level: more than 6 grams of fibre in 100 grams of the food.

Also defined within the new regulations are health claims. These are statements or suggestions that there is a link between a food, or something in a food, and health. Statements could link a food/nutrient with a physiological function, for example, ‘vitamin D helps to keep bones healthy’ (function claims; article 13 claims). Claims about disease risk reduction (article 14 claims), for example, ‘long chain omega 3 fats reduce the risk of coronary heart disease’, will also be permitted on food labels. Both function and reduction of disease risk claims may be restricted on categories of foods with unsuitable nutrient profiles, such as perhaps in foods with high levels of salt: precise details are to be defined by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) by 2009.

Some labelling claims are not permitted. Medicinal claims about the prevention, treatment or cure of a disease are banned, as are statements suggesting health could be affected by not eating a food. Rates of weight loss claims are not allowed, nor are any references to recommendations of individual doctors and health professionals.

Further guidance on the development of generic statements on function claims based on ‘generally accepted scientific evidence’ is due to be issued formally by 2010.

An immediate issue that is still in current discussion is the precise role permitted health professionals have in the commercial communication of foods. The BDA are seeking clarification from the FSA on how dietitians can be quoted in press releases, information in press packs, leaflets and website.

There will be many definition and procedural changes with the introduction into practice of the new EU regulations on nutrition and health claims, but dietitians welcome the critical review of information on food labels, and the opportunity of a systematic review of the accuracy of general health statements being made within food marketing.

This information was correct at issue. For personal dietary information, a local dietitian is the best source of information. Want to be sure the dietitian you consult is registered? Check the Health Professions Council search facility of dietitians registered in the UK (www.hpc-uk.org)

 

Issue date: June 2007