European Union

3 into 1: Euro probiotics sector unites as sector sales drop 8%

Insider: The three groups reached accord “surprisingly quickly”

3 into 1: Euro probiotics sector unites as sector sales drop 8%

By Shane STARLING

Europe’s three biggest probiotic groups have united behind a new European chapter of the International Probiotics Association (IPA) to deal with the “critical” 6-year regulatory imbroglio that has seen an EU-wide sales slide in the health claim-less sector.

Will MPLs for vitamins and minerals in food supplements be harmonised across the EU28?

Maximum VMS lobbying battle brews in European parliaments

By Shane STARLING

The supplement and pharmaceutical sectors are ramping up lobbying efforts of new and old Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) – and beyond – to act on the decades-long EU impasse over maximum permitted levels (MPLs) of nutrients in food supplements...

'It’s not all black in Europe. The regulators are learning about probiotics and the benefits,' Swedish company says

Media investment means US probiotic growth outpacing EU

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

US probiotic market growth has been bolstered by big media investment, something yet to be seen in the EU, according to the Swedish firm Probi which just secured its largest transatlantic order to date.

NPN leaves EHPM  :

Health claims divide EU supplement trade groups

By Shane STARLING

The Dutch supplements trade group NPN has severed ties with EHPM, the Europe-wide group it was a founding member of, citing differences in approaches to EU health claim reform.

The UK could follow Italy's lead, if it is success in getting a 'generic descriptor' aproval for 'probiotic' yogurts

Probiotic term could reappear on yogurt in UK

By Rick Pendrous

The term ‘probiotic’ could make a re-appearance on pots of yogurt on sale in UK supermarkets, if Italy is successful in getting approval for its use as a ‘generic descriptor’.

Health claims panel memeber Hans Verhagen told HiE delegates that he thinks 'everybody would love to see at least one approved health claim ... at some point in time,”

"I think everybody would love to see at least one approved health claim in these areas at some point in time”

EFSA claim for pro- and prebiotics getting closer, but industry is wary of rushing

By Nathan Gray

There is a general feeling that probiotic and prebiotic producers are getting closer to receiving their categories' first ever health claim; however many big companies are wary of rushing applications after learning the lessons from previous failed...

“Most of the research priorities identified should be addressed in the coming years to deliver results in the short- to mid-term (before 2030),” said the report

Commission defines food research priorities to 2050

By Anna Bonar

Tailored diets, sustainability, integrated policy-making and consumer awareness of the link between food and health are the four research priority ideas identified in the European Commission’s (EC) foresight report.

“This decision has opened a new doors for us, for example the supplement market as for example the chia seeds can’t be included in dietary supplements,” said Aurelie Vromaine, product manager at Ingredia.

Benexia chia oil wins EU novel foods approval

By Anna Bonar

The European Commission has approved Benexia chia oil as a novel food for use in food supplements and in place of other plant fats and oils in foods and drink applications.

NPN: “Herbs at the moment are the biggest problem but not the only problem.

‘Elegant’: Dutch group seeks traditional health claims regulation

By Shane STARLING

A Dutch healthy foods and supplements association has proposed a traditional claims regulation or amendment to EU health claim laws it says would ‘elegantly’ solve the ongoing and stalled imbroglio about how traditional food use data can back claims.

Author response: On the bending of EU botanical laws and meanings

By Bert Schwitters

Last week NutraIngredients published a guest article by author Bert Schwitters about the EU nutrition and health claims regulation (NHCR) that discussed the status of botanicals and associated claims in the European Union. Schwitters was not happy with...

Euromonitor:

Analyst predicts more European bans could follow

Lithuania bans energy drink sales to under 18s

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Lithuania has banned energy drink sales to under 18s - making the Baltic state the first European country to do so.

EU health claim laws are curbing commercial speech, but separating botanicals won't work, argues author

Guest article: EU law fritters

Author: EU health claims laws cannot be bent for botanicals

By Bert Schwitters

Nutrition author, blogger and harsh critic of the EU’s health claim laws, Bert Schwitters, says any attempt to create separate rules for more than 1500 on-hold botanical claim applications is doomed to failure in this guest article.  

Medical Brands markets medical devices like cranberry-based I-Say in the EU...it targets women's urinary tract infection (UTI) issues

Industry voice: In defense of nutritional medical devices in the EU

By Maikel Hendriks, CEO of Medical Brands

Since 2008 the severity of the EU’s health claim laws has seen many firms seek other routes to back claims – the EU’s medical devices legal avenue being one of them. Amsterdam-based Maikel Hendriks, the CEO of Medical Brands, examines the controversial,...

HFMA:

HFMA awaits EU health claims verdict after court hearing

By By Anna Bonar and Shane Starling

The UK Health Food Manufacturers' Association (HFMA) appeal against the EU nutrition and health claims regulation (NHCR) has been heard in the European Court of Justice (ECJ) more than two years after it was lodged.

An ASA independent review found no cause to repair its initial verdict

GSK-MaxiNutrition loses protein health claims appeal

By Shane STARLING

Sir Hayden Phillips, the man tasked with performing ‘independent reviews’ of UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) rulings, has backed a July ruling against GlaxoSmithKline sports brand MaxiNutrition for exaggerated protein-recovery claims.

Chr Hansen says its 2-year shelf life probiotic soft gel is a

Probiotics giant debuts soft gel with 2-year shelf life

By Lynda Searby

Danish probiotics player Chr Hansen has launched a patent-pending soft gel that can deliver live probiotics with a two-year shelf life and matched it with a probiotic-omega-3 supplement targeting pregnant women.

Novel food proposals

Does 'history of safe consumption' mean foods are safe?

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Proposals to create a separate process for novel food approval from countries outside of the EU will not see the market flooded with unsafe foods, a European Commission official told a concerned audience at a European Parliament workshop.

Innovation deflation: The EU food sector partially blames novel foods laws for an R&D investment level of 1.5% of revenue, compared to 15% for the pharma industry

"As a member of Parliament, I need facts. And I think you, the food industry, have the resources to find those."

MEP defends EU novel foods laws against innovation attacks

By Annie-Rose Harrison-Dunn from the European Parliament in Brussels

The food industry should provide facts if it expects EU decision makers to consider dismantling the controversial novel foods regulation it has long-argued discourages innovation, a UK member of the European Parliament (MEP) said at a workshop in Brussels...

European food supplement markets: 2 chairs share their industry wares

Special edition: Inside Europe's food supplement markets

European food supplement markets: 2 chairs share their industry wares

By Shane STARLING

The trade group Food Supplements Europe (FSE) and UK pro-supplements lobby group Consumers for Health Choice (CHC) take differing views on Europe’s food supplements markets and what is best for them and consumers. We present them here…

The fastest growing consumer group were ‘lifestyle users’, making a transition into a more active life, according to ESSNA.

Special edition: Inside Europe's food supplement markets

Sports nutrition in Europe - market analysis

By Anna Bonar

European sports supplements market is predicted to grow by 2.3% a year to 2018 as product awareness rises, say analysts.

Euromonitor predicts European food supplement markets will swell 28% by 2018

Special edition: Inside Europe's food supplement markets

Insider view: European food supplements market set for €2bn jump

By Shane STARLING

The western and eastern European combined food supplements market will jump from €7bn to €9bn by 2018, according to Euromonitor International, with some markets set to double in value in that time.

Latest rumours see internal market and enlargement in European neighbourhood posts disappearing

Juncker European Commission line-up leaked

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Lithuanian politician Vytenis Andriukaitis has been earmarked as the next commissioner for health and food safety in a leaked Juncker line-up, but officials remain tight lipped.

CHC: “Time is of the essence here – politics resumes in Brussels in earnest in September..

UK group warns of supplement lobbying toward new MEPs

By Shane STARLING

UK supplements group, Consumers for Health Choice (CHC), is targeting newly elected Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in a campaign to raise awareness around still-up-for-grabs maximum permitted limits (MPLs) for vitamins and minerals in food...

Bucchini: “This is the first official blessing of​ beauty claims I am aware of...

Bella! EC backs beauty health claims; must be judged case-by-case

By Shane STARLING

Beauty claims are permissible under the EU nutrition and health claim regulation (NHCR) a European Commission committee has said in what an analyst says is a “first blessing” the EC may have taken from Italy’s stance on the matter.

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