Trade associations in the UK are taking legal action in an attempt
to hold off the EU food supplements directive, which threatens to
damage one of the biggest and most diverse natural products markets
in Europe.
The European Commission has given the green light for the joint
venture between Scandinavian company Arla Foods Ingredients and
German sugar giant Nordzucker to bring the low-calorie sweetener
Gaio tagatose to the marketplace.
The EU is inviting up to 50 small and medium-sized businesses to
participate in a new functional food network, aimed at boosting
innovation in some of the areas investigated by recent European
research.
The EU's traditional herbal medicinal products directive will not
lead to the major loss of popular herbal products on the UK market
feared by many in the retail sector, suggests the latest estimate
from the country's medicines...
Herbal product manufacturers and kava suppliers are to stage a
lobbying campaign to try to force kava, a herb taken to combat
stress, back onto the shelves of European pharmacies.
Finland's National Food Agency announced this week that it has
established an expert network to evaluate whether health claims
used to market foods, supplements and foods for particular
nutritional uses are adequately backed...
The EU should adopt tougher regulations on food advertising to
children and more effective labelling rules among a range of
long-term measures to persuade Europeans to switch to a healthier
diet, according to a report released today.
European kava manufacturers are meeting suppliers in Brussels this
month in a final attempt to try to save trade in the herbal, almost
wiped out by bans in most EU states. They have also produced a
report demonstrating its safety...
The proposed European regulation on nutrition and health claims
will severely restrict the marketing potential of supplement
makers, says the European Health Product Manufacturers Association
(EHPM), calling on the European Parliament...
The European Commission has conditionally cleared DSM's acquisition
of Roche Vitamins and Fine Chemicals, it said yesterday. The deal,
likely to be completed in the third quarter 2003, will cost DSM
€1,750 million.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland is seeking views from Irish
industry on the European Community's proposed new regulation to
govern nutrition and health claims on foods.
Japan's Kyowa Hakko is to step up production of the amino acid GABA
(gamma-amino butyric acid), with the launch of a new supplement,
Remake GABA, which helps to lower blood pressure and promote
relaxation.
Australia's Federal Court is to proceed with a class action against
a number of multinational vitamin companies for price fixing,
despite an appeal that the country did not have jurisdiction over
the companies.
US plant extract company Unigen Pharmaceuticals has signed new
distribution agreements with six partners in Europe and Latin
America, expanding its sales presence in international markets.
Regulations to implement the provisions of the EU directive on food
supplements in England were laid before the UK parliament this
week. The UK is likely to see the removal of more supplements than
most other Member States.
The Danish Consumer Council has given a damning indictment of
Danisco's fat replacement product Salatrim, prompting the
ingredients group to issue a statement reiterating its confidence
in the product.
US company Martek Biosciences has been granted European novel food
status for its microalgae-derived DHA oil. The ingredient can now
be used in certain dairy products, cereals, supplements and medical
foods in the EU.
US firm Galaxy Nutritional Foods, a producer of soy- and oat-based
dairy alternatives, has entered into an exclusive distribution
agreement with French cheese company Fromageries Bel, which will
make Galaxy's brands available...
Finland's National Food Agency is to test the PAH levels in
margarine products, following a Swedish report suggesting that a
sample of Becel pro.activ contained twice the legal level of the
carcinogenic compounds.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland is advising the industry to
remove 10 herbal supplement products from sale, after a survey
found them to contain irradiated components not highlighted in the
product labelling.
Proposed new regulations governing the voluntary fortification of
foodstuffs with vitamins and minerals are to be discussed by the UK
Food Standards Agency.
Germany's classification of garlic supplements as a medicine and
Italy's draconian laws on sports drinks have incurred the wrath of
the European Commission this week.
Swiss pharmaceuticals company Roche yesterday said its vitamins and
fine chemicals unit, recently sold to DSM, fully complies with new
requirements for vitamin E issued this month by the Netherlands.
The European Commission has published a draft proposal for a
directive on the addition of vitamins, minerals and other
substances to food. The directive, to be discussed at an expert
meeting in March, aims to ease trade of fortified...
This year's Natural Products Expo Europe, taking place at the RAI
Amsterdam from 4-5 June, is adding to its usual format an EU
compliance programme and a forum focusing on business opportunities
in Russia and emerging eastern...
American company RiceX, which makes rice bran-based functional food
ingredients, is to launch its product range in Europe, following a
distribution agreement with Belgium's Kreglinger.
Noting the large numbers of Europeans seeking health-related
information on the Internet, the European Commission has adopted a
communication setting out a number of criteria for health-related
websites. The quality criteria include...
With falling livestock numbers across Europe, feed antioxidant
manufacturers are suffering from lower volumes and lower prices -
causing them to look at the natural antioxidant market in an effort
to increase revenues. The category...
European members of parliament have adopted a resolution for new
legislation on traditional herbal products which will require all
herbal medicines on sale in the European Union to be registered.
European food manufacturers will soon have to label the complete
content of all foodstuffs, including alcohol, in an EU measure to
protect consumers, particularly those with allergies. The European
Commission's proposal, part...
The role of food industry bodies in helping to maintain and promote
food safety for the consumer was clearly underlined this week by
the UK Food and Drink Federation. Speaking at the Society of Food
Hygiene Technology's annual...
Consumer organisations across the European Union should expect
better representation on advisory bodies and increased rights to be
consulted, if we are to believe the words of European Commissioner
for Health and Consumer Protection,...
'Health' claims made on food labels often leave consumers confused
or unclear about the properties of the products, Britain's Food
Standards Agency reports, following research commissioned by the
agency, in the wake...
The UK Food Standards Agency is said to be drawing up proposals
which would require restaurants and hotels to provide nutritional
information on their food menus - and it is hoping to introduce the
same measures across Europe.
The TransAtlantic Consumer Dialogue, an organisation of European
and US consumer groups, has criticised American and European
governments for backing business interests over consumer concerns
in their trade policies.
David Byrne, the European Commissioner responsible for Health and
Consumer Protection, yesterday issued a message of support to the
Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD), a forum of US and EU
organisations, ahead of its forthcoming...
The European Parliament this week rejected a Commission proposal to
extend pharmaceutical powers to cover food supplements. The
proposal was part of a series of amendments to the
'all-encompassing' and outdated 1965 medicines...
Results from a European Commission report on the use and labelling
of food irradiation finds that 42 per cent of certain dietary
supplements in the UK have been illegally treated with the
technology.
Signs that the functional food market is gaining ground were
revealed this week when the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA)
announced it is considering a 'novel food' application by a food
manufacturer to market 'milk and...
The European Commission is asking Austria to remove its ban on the
distance selling of food supplements as it opposes legislation of
free trade in the community.
Consumers for Health Choice, a natural products lobby group with a
number of high profile supporters, claims the Medicines Control
Agency has deliberately misled ministers about the impact of the EU
herbal products directive.
German fine chemicals group Degussa has been fined €118 million by
the European Commission after it was found guilty of taking part in
a price fixing cartel relating to amino acids used in animal
fodder. Degussa said it would contest...
In adopting the new EU Directive on Food Supplements last week the
European Parliament laid the foundations for a period of developing
legislative stability for companies involved in food and health
ingredients. Considered by some...
