EU: Commission Regulations (EU) refusing to authorise certain health claims made on foods

Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/709 of 6 May 2022 refusing to authorise a health claim made on foods and referring to children’s development and health.

Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/710 of 6 May 2022 refusing to authorise a health claim made on foods and referring to the reduction of disease risk.

Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/711 of 6 May 2022 refusing to authorise certain health claims made on foods, other than those referring to the reduction of disease risk and to children’s development and health.

Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/719 of 10 May 2022 refusing to authorise certain health claims made on foods, other than those referring to the reduction of disease risk and to children’s development and health

Articles – EU: Nutrient profiles: A ‘farm to fork’ strategy initiative takes shape

The European Commission is planning to establish ‘nutrient profiles’, that is, maximum amounts for nutrients such as fat, sugar and/or salt in foods, above which the use of nutrition or health claims would be restricted or forbidden. For example, breakfast cereals exceeding a sugar limit could no longer advertise their fibre or vitamin content. The Commission was already tasked with setting nutrient profiles to restrict the promotion of food high in fat, sugar and/or salt under the Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation (‘Claims Regulation’) adopted in 2006. Now, in accordance with the action plan accompanying the EU’s ‘farm to fork’ strategy, the Commission will submit a proposal on nutrient profiles by the end of 2022. The proposal will form part of a wider package revising EU legislation on food information supplied to consumers, together with proposals on front-of-pack nutrition labelling, origin labelling, date marking, and labelling of alcoholic beverages. In the same package, the Commission also intends to solve a problem that has long been puzzling manufacturers and consumers in the herbal and plant products market, namely, that the same product can be classified both as a herbal medicine and as a food, depending on the Member State in which it is sold. While most consumer organisations and health advocates strongly support the idea of introducing nutrient profiles, opponents caution against overly simplistic labels that punish certain food groups and lead health-conscious individuals to avoid them. The European Parliament has stressed that food information is a potent tool for empowering consumers.

Around the World – EU: Marketing of mung bean (Vigna radiata) protein as a novel food is authorized

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/673 of 22 April 2022 authorising the placing on the market of mung bean (Vigna radiata) protein as a novel food under Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 of the European Parliament and of the Council and amending Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470.

Around the World – EU: Amendment to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470 as regards the specifications of the novel food galacto-oligosaccharides

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/684 of 28 April 2022 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470 as regards the conditions of use of the novel food galacto-oligosaccharide

Around the World – EU: Monitoring the presence of furan and alkylfurans in food

COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION (EU) 2022/495

  1. Member States should, with the active involvement of food business operators, monitor furan, 2-methylfuran and 3-methylfuran in food, in particular in coffee, jarred baby food (including baby food in containers, tubes and pouches), ready-to-eat soup, potato-based crisps, fruit juices, breakfast cereals, biscuits, crackers and crispbread.
  2. To ensure that the samples are representative, Member States should follow the sampling procedures laid down in part B of the Annex to Commission Regulation (EC) No 333/2007 Food business operators should also apply this sampling procedure or an equivalent sampling procedure, ensuring the sample is representative.
  3. For the analysis of furan, 2-methylfuran and 3-methylfuran in coffee and jarred baby food, Member States and food business operators should use a method that complies with the following criteria: