Food safety authorities in Australia and New Zealand have rubbished
media reports that new proposals would prevent fresh fruit and
vegetables from carrying health claims.
The genome sequencing of the NCFM probiotic strain has given
Danisco's research effort a lift. It may help identify new health
benefits, and help reduce the time for bringing new products to
market.
Australia and New Zealand's food authority has published new
proposals for a health claims standard that would allow disease
risk reduction claims for the first time.
The Codex nutrition committee made little headway on draft health
claims recommendations this week but discussion looks set to
advance more rapidly next year, with new input from member
countries.
A panel of global food experts may start their first debate on
health claims this week, with the topic once again on the agenda at
the Codex meeting in Bonn.
Health claims in Europe should reflect emerging science as well as
the established evidence, believes a nutrition expert who is
calling for a system of graded claims under the future law.
The FDA has requested an extension in its review of yet another
health claims petition, for Nutrition 21's submission linking
chromium picolinate with a reduced risk of insulin resistance, type
2 diabetes and related disease,...
European governments agreed on Friday to stick closely to the
original version of the proposed health claims law, confirming the
battle ahead for pro-industry MEPs seeking major amendments,
writes Dominique Patton.
The European Parliament voted yesterday to radically modify the
proposed regulation on nutrition and health claims so that food
companies do not need to gain prior authorization for claims, nor
subject their healtlh products to nutrient...
Sweden's BioGaia says its recent clinical trials are supporting
stronger health claims on products containing its Reuteri bacteria,
which may help it distinguish its probiotics from the competition,
writes Dominique Patton.
Functional food makers need to take a critical look at the level of
substantiation behind the health claims they are using to guarantee
their survival under a new European regulation, reports
Dominique Patton.
Milk, cheese and dairy products could soon carry generic health
claims, providing they are approved by a panel of health and
nutrition experts, Tom Armitage reports.
Australia's food authority is calling for industry comment on an
overhaul of its health claims regulation, which could see disease
risk reduction claims allowed on food labels.
European legislation on health claims could take a significant leap
forward under the new Dutch presidency of the European Union, which
appears to be aiming for the regulation to get its first reading in
the European parliament by...
Japan is considering proposals for the creation of a new category
of health foods, with claims similar to the 'qualified health
claims' recently approved in the US.
A group of cereal scientists is looking to rewrite the definition
of a wholegrain to help consumers identify the healthy ingredient
in foods and lift their intake of wholegrains.
The controversial debate over whether a fatty or sugary food can
carry a health claim has stalled a Europe-wide regulation for
health and nutrition claims and also brought down a proposed law on
fortification.
A UK initiative has produced more than 80 nutrient function
statements for vitamins and minerals that are well-established by
science, providing the food industry with a useful reference in the
preparation of health claims, writes...
A British brewer has been criticised by the UK's advertising
watchdog for making a series of claims about the health benefits of
beer including suggestions that it could protect against heart
disease.
The EU's nutrition and health claims legislation must give industry
the flexibility to invest in R&D to develop healthier foods,
warned the president of Europe's confederation of food and drink
industries (CIAA) at a...
Finland's National Food Agency has banned several food supplement
makers from repeat marketing of unsubstantiated claims in a
clampdown on the use of health claims.
As tough new European proposals on health claims undergo scrutiny
from member states, a UK-based consumer group keeps the pressure
up, claiming this week that 'food manufacturers are continuing
to make unwarranted health claims...
As with other trade issues, bringing the EU and US together on an
internationally recognised approach to health claims seems to be a
long way off, if ever achievable, concluded experts at a recent
seminar on health claims.
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...
A seminar to be held in Northern Ireland on 3 September is to
discuss the importance of scientific proof of health claims on
functional foods, with reviews provided by two international
experts.
The UK will ask the European Commission to develop a transparent
system of restrictions to prevent unhealthy foods being fortified
with vitamins, or health claims being made on fatty, salt-laden
products.
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 will continue discussions on the
establishment of nutrition and health claims next week, said
Commissioner for Health David Byrne, speaking at a congress on
Children and Nutrition in Berlin this week.
"There are no 'good' and 'bad' foods but rather 'good' and 'bad'
diets," said David Byrne, European Commissioner for Health and
Consumer Protection, discussing planned proposals on health...
'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...
British retailer the Co-op is calling for the UK government to
crack down on products which make misleading health claims. The
company is to launch a new consumer-friendly food label following
research on consumer needs.
The Joint Health Claims Initiative (JHCI), an independent UK
organisation created to assess health claims on food, this week
advised the food industry of the option of making health claims for
the inclusion of soya in food products.
Parents are concerned about misleading health claims made for foods
targeted at children, according to research commissioned by the UK
Food Standards Agency.
