Food Law News - EU - 1997
20 June 1997: NUTRIENTS - Commission Discussion Paper on the Addition of Vitamins and Minerals to Foods
Scottish Office letter, 20 June 1997
Commission Discussion Paper on the Addition of Vitamins and Minerals to Foods and Food Supplements
The Commission has published a discussion paper on the above subject. The following “Executive Summary” taken from the paper explains the background:
“Following an increasing number of complaints from economic operators concerning obstacles to trade Member States have asked the Commission to examine the possibilities of harmonising Community legislation relating to the addition of vitamins and minerals to foodstuffs and to food supplements containing vitamins and minerals. A task within the framework of Scientific Co-operation on questions relating to food, aiming to establish a scientific basis for the development of measures for the protection of public health in respect of the addition of vitamins and minerals, has been completed. The Commission in its Green Paper on Food Law announced its intentions to initiate technical consultation on this specific subject.
This discussion paper launches this consultation. It presents the points that need to be considered and debated prior to any possible proposals for harmonisation. It invites comments in particular on the following issues:
- terminology/definitions to be used
- the choice of the principles that should guide the addition of vitamins and minerals to foods and the availability of food supplements
- restrictions or preferences, if any, as to the foods to which voluntary addition of vitamins and minerals should be allowed
- restrictions or preferences, if any, as to the vitamins and minerals and their different chemical forms which may be added to foods or be present in food supplements
- the setting of maximum limits for added nutrients and for nutrients present in food supplements, whether for all nutrients or for selected ones
- if they were to be set, how these maximum limits should be determined
- to what amount of the product should any such limits be related
- the setting of lower limits
- the necessity for specific rules concerning nutrition labelling, particular statements, instructions or warning and claims
- the necessity for specific rules concerning packaging of food supplements
- the necessity of special procedures for placing product in the market
Where necessary or applicable comments on the above issues should clearly indicate whether they apply to food to which vitamins and minerals have been added or to food supplements or to both.
Comments have been requested in the letter by 1 September.
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