Send questions to health claims discussion
Questions can be sent to sbehz@rnf.rh and will be addressed by the chairman of the discussion panel, Simon Pettman from the Brussels-based consultancy, EAS.
The free discussion forum is part of VitaFoods’ May 20 health claims focus that also features a paid-for, day-long seminar hosted by Dr Paul Berryman, the chief executive officer of UK-based Leatherhead Food Research.
Professor Wim Verbeke from the University of Ghent will present new consumer research into health claim perceptions.
Also set to speak are food lawyer Sebastian Romero Melchor from Food Law Consultants who will explore the potential for legal action against the regulation and Caroline Taylor from the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), who will give a regulator’s eye view of health claims.
Unilever’s Jamie Barnard will explore claim making in advertising while DSM’s regulatory affairs manager, Petra Tiersch, will stake out industry’s perspective on the regulation.
Leatherhead’s Roberta Re will advise on how to design clinical study in nutrition.
The discussion, to be chaired by Pettman, will feature marketing and regulation specialists and will discuss actions being taken to amend the regulation; the way claims are passing through the system; investment in claims and marketing options.
“The EU health claims regulation already ranks as the most influential food legislation ever developed in Europe,” said Pettman.
“And it is only just beginning to be implemented in the market. No other piece of legislation will have had such a profound influence on the way in which food products across the whole sector are developed and brought to market. To debate the topic at Vitafoods, we have brought together a broad cross section of industry experts with marketing, ingredients, regulation and finished product backgrounds, so attendees can be sure of leaving with a rounded perspective on the issue. “
