FSA Consultation Letter, 4 October 2004

PARNUTS - Draft recast Commission Directive on infant formulae and follow-on formulae

This is the latest version of the European Commission's proposal for a recast Directive on infant formulae and follow-on formulae [SANCO D4/HL/mm/D440180 Rev.1] which we recently received. Responses are requested by: 10 December 2004

Consultation details

We have identified the following main changes in this document compared with the Commission document issued in April and published on 14 September. Acopy of this is currently available at:
http://www.food.gov.uk/foodindustry/Consultations/consulteng/recastinfantformconsult

• Article 4 (1) & (3) - requirement that the suitability of all ingredients, not only 'ingredients not specified in the Annexes' be demonstrated;
• Article 4(2) - introduction of a national notification procedure for products containing ingredients that have not been used prior to 1 Sept 2004;
• Article 8(2)(b) - introduction of a requirement that follow-on formulas bear a label statement that weaning should begin on the advice of experts;
• Article 8(9) - introduction of a requirement that infant formulas and follow-on formulas must be labelled so as to avoid confusion between the two;
• Article 11(1) - introduction of timelines: 2 years for prohibition in trade of non-compliant products and 5 years for prohibition in trade concerning lipid requirements;
• Annexes I and 2 - some changes to the compositional requirements

You will, of course, wish to read the whole of this new text carefully in order to identify any other changes.