NutraChamp 2024: 'A champion for promoting compliance in the industry'
A highly respected and experienced thought leader in sports nutrition and wider food supplements industry, Luca Bucchini regularly provides his expertise, comments and editorial contributions to the trade press, raising awareness of important policy and regulatory developments affecting the industry.
On being awarded his trophy at the NutraIngredients VIP Party in Geneva last week, he said, "Thank you so much. I didn't expect it and it makes me and my family happy."
Discussing what drives him to continually take this responsibility upon himself he said, "I'm passionate about communicating regulations. On one side you have people's desire to be healthy...and then you have the innovation of this industry—the drive to fulfill this need of the people, and in the middle you have regulation, sometimes helping and sometimes hindering their efforts.
"I like people to have all the information to take action and ensure their products are safe and ensure people have better products for their health."
With articles and quotes across specialist media, Bucchini provides key insights on a variety of legislative developments impacting the sports and active nutrition sector, including the marketing, composition and labelling of sports foods and food supplements as well as on policy initiatives and developments on sustainability that affect these sectors, such as the upcoming EU regulation on packaging and packaging waste (PPWR) as well as the review of the European protein strategy.
As Chair of ESSNA since April 2023 and former vice chair of the alliance since 2017, he has been integral in supporting its ongoing growth, overseeing and advising on its overall
direction, priorities and strategy.
Nominating Bucchini for the award, ESSNA said, "Luca has worked with ESSNA for over 10 years, in parallel to acting as managing director of Hylobates. As a food risk scientist and expert in sports nutrition regulation, food and food supplement law, with more than 20 years of experience in the sector, Luca has played a vital role in ESSNA’s work and the achievements of the association to date would not have been possible without his vast expertise and knowledge of the sports nutrition industry….
"He has been a champion for promoting compliance in the industry, especially towards regulators and authorities, and he is a well-respected and influential voice in the trade press thanks to his commentaries on relevant policy developments."
As director of EuroFIR, the non-profit organization providing and promoting the use of high quality food composition data for food policy and nutrition, for the past decade, he has also been championing research on public health nutrition at the European level and on food composition databases.
What's more, he regularly takes part in workshops organized by Europol to raise awareness on issues of non-compliance in the industry and serious cases of consumer harm.
With his company Hylobates Consulting, Bucchini helps sports and active nutrition and food supplement companies ensure compliance with applicable regulations, and he has registered thousands of sports foods products and food supplements across Europe.
Discussing his thoughts on interesting areas of regulation for this industry, he said he will be watching the AI space closely.
"I'm excited about what AI might bring in terms of new products, new ideas, new concepts, and regulation will be important," he said. "In my role as chair of ESSNA, an expert and consultant, we try to make sure regulations are fit for purpose, and I feel responsibility to do my bit."
