Regulation

25-May-2012 - Milk protein lactoferrin is safe to use in foods and food supplements, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has found after responding to an application from FrieslandCampina.

EU article 13 health claim compliance D Day: December 14, 2012

25-May-2012 - The controversial European Union article 13 health claim list has this morning been published in the Official Journal of the European Union, giving companies until December 14 to get their claim-making in order.

EFSA recommends expanding sterol-stanol cholesterol claim

23-May-2012 - The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has concluded that plant stanols and sterols can more powerfully reduce cholesterol reduction after assessing fresh data submitted by category leaders, Raisio and Unilever.

EFSA health claim opinion

EFSA rejects Merck glucosamine-joint health claim

21-May-2012 - Glucosamine does not help maintain normal joint cartilage, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has found after assessing a proprietary article 13.5 dossier submitted by drug giant, Merck Consumer Healthcare.

EU article 13 health claims register

222 EU health claims become law; experts predict “tsunami of cheap innovation”

16-May-2012 - It’s official. Companies have six months – until December – to comply with the controversial European Union article 13, general function health claims register which today won final approval from the European Commission.

'Sin taxes' must raise food prices by 20% for any effect, argue experts

16-May-2012 - In order to have any effect on population health, fat taxes must raise food prices by 20% and should be combined with subsidies on healthy foods, say UK-based experts. However industry leaders have branded the calls as ‘irresponsible.’

Diana Bánáti: I was not pushed by “disrespectful and injurious” EFSA

15-May-2012 - Diána Bánáti, the recently resigned chair of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) management board, says she was not forced to depart by the Parma-based agency’s hierarchy – rather resigning herself after taking a new industry post.

News in brief

EFSA backs glucose to benefit “energy-yielding metabolism”

15-May-2012 - German supplements and sports nutrition firm, Dextro Energy GmbH & Co. KG, has won an article 13.5 emerging and proprietary science claim linking glucose and energy.

Lallemand apply for Novel Foods authorisation for vitamin D rich baker’s yeast

11-May-2012 - The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has said it is seeking views on a Novel Food application from Lallemand for a baker’s yeast rich in vitamin D.

News in brief

Bánáti steps down from EFSA board

10-May-2012 - The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has announced that Diána Bánáti has resigned as Chair and member of the Management Board, upon request.

Guest article

Who is regulating EU cyber supplement sales?

07-May-2012 - Food supplements are ideally suited for online sales: stable, light, high-value, popular with consumers. It is therefore no surprise that online food supplement sales are on the rise with the promise of lower prices and home delivery.

Regulations biggest BRIC nutraceutical growth barrier: Survey

04-May-2012 - Nutraceutical market development is being crimped by draconian food regulations say 65% of food industry executive, according to a poll conducted by the organisers of Vitafoods Europe.

News in brief

ENVI committee chairman praises EFSA

04-May-2012 - Matthias Groote, the German MEP and chair of the European Parliament Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) committee has praised the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for its health claims and food safety work.

EFSA CLA safety opinion “basically good news” but novel foods stays on hold

04-May-2012 - Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is safe for use in foods at doses of 3-3.5g per day, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has affirmed in an opinion broadly welcomed by a key player even if novel foods approval remains elusive.

Comment

Is the game up for DMAA? Why the FDA crackdown raises more questions than answers…

03-May-2012 - They’ve had the sword of Damocles hanging over their heads for months. So when 10 firms selling DMAA supplements were finally told to put up or shut up by the FDA last week, it looked like the game might finally be up for the controversial stimulant.

Rejected cranberry wins EU medical UTI claim

02-May-2012 - €3 million and seven years of research and development work have paid off for Medical Brands which has won the right to make medical urinary tract infection (UTI) claims in the EU and beyond with its cranberry partner, Decas Botanical Synergies (DBS).

AHPA: If DMAA is in geranium, synthesized version is a lawful dietary ingredient

30-Apr-2012 - If DMAA (1,3-Dimethylamylamine) exists naturally in geranium - which has been in the food supply for years - synthesized DMAA is also a lawful dietary ingredient permitted for use in supplements, says the American Herbal Product Association (AHPA).

EU authorities set to follow US DMAA alarm

30-Apr-2012 - European food and medicines agencies will follow the lead of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which last week issued warning letters to 10 manufacturers over safety and authenticity concerns for DMAA products, an EU food law expert has said.

Updated: FDA cracks down on DMAA - but this is just the start, not the end, of the debate, predicts CRN

27-Apr-2012 - It’s official, says the FDA. “Synthetically-produced DMAA (1,3-Dimethylamylamine) is not a dietary ingredient and is not, therefore, eligible to be used as an active ingredient in dietary supplements”.

GNC: FDA action on DMAA is ‘factually and legally unfounded’

27-Apr-2012 - There is “no basis” for the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) decision to crack down on firms making supplements containing the stimulant DMAA (1,3-Dimethylamylamine), says retail giant GNC.

The rise and potential fall of DMAA

27-Apr-2012 - After months of heated debate about the source, safety and regulatory status of supplements containing DMAA, the FDA has finally taken a stance and issued warning letters to 10 manufacturers and distributors.

CER infant formula report removed and company silenced after Abbott legal action

26-Apr-2012 - A court order has silenced Hong Kong research company, CER, and ensured the removal of its report damning Abbott’s infant formula product; action the US giant is ‘pleased’ with.

Nestlé silent on alleged Indian law violations but defends breast-milk substitutes marketing

20-Apr-2012 - Nestlé has declined to comment to DairyReporter.com on an Indian government letter stating that it is violating the nation’s laws on sponsorship of health workers, but has fought back against allegations of inappropriate marketing for breast milk substitutes.

Dutch group wins 25,000+ anti-EU health claims signatures

19-Apr-2012 - A petition against the EU nutrition and health claims regulation (NHCR) has won the signatures of more than 25,000 irate, mostly Dutch and British consumers, and will be presented to the European Parliament this month.

“Health claims regulation must be destroyed”, says author of new book

18-Apr-2012 - The author of a new 452-page book that decimates the European Union nutrition and health claims regulation (NHCR) for crippling commercial free speech and consumer choice, says the regulation should be taken to European courts by the end of July this year.