Food Law News - EU - 2001
FSA Scotland Letter, 9 March 2001
PARNUTS - Proposed Directive on Food Supplements
[See also the Food Standards web pages at: http://www.foodstandards.gov.uk/consultations/supplement.htm]
Further to the letter of 22 February and the previous correspondence referred to in that letter, this letter seeks views on a new draft compromise proposal dealing with the approach to the establishment of maximum limits for vitamins and minerals in these products (Article 5 (1 )).
The proposed new text is as follows, views are sought on the amended phrase in italics:
Article 5
1. Maximum amounts of vitamins and minerals present in food supplements per daily portion of consumption as recommended by the manufacturer shall be set taking into account:
(a) upper safe levels of vitamins and minerals established by scientific risk assessment based on generally acceptable scientific data;
(b) reference intakes of vitamins and minerals for the population, where the upper safe level is less than five times the reference intake for the population;
(c) intakes of vitamins and minerals from other dietary sources.
The phrase 'less than five times' is intended to clarify the meaning of 'close to' as used in the Commission's original proposed text (FSA letter of 22 May 2000 refers). The meaning of 'taking into account' remains unclear but the implication of the new text is that where the upper safe level is less than five times the RDA (Recommended Daily Amount) the maximum limit might be set at one, two or three times the RDA rather than at the upper safe level. The FSA requests views on the potential impact on products currently in the UK marketplace.
The next meeting to discuss this draft Directive is expected to place in about three weeks time. Discussions will then be based on a new text the Commission is preparing to take into account both amendments proposed by the European Parliament and the discussions which have taken place in the Council Working Group.
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