MEPs want better defined labels for baby milks and food for people with special medical needs
The Public Health and Food Safety Committee voted new rules in order to streamline and clarify labelling and composition rules covering products baby milks and food for people with special medical needs, which represents around 1-2% of the total food market.
The Public Health and Food Safety Committee voted new rules in order to streamline and clarify labelling and composition rules covering products baby milks and food for people with special medical needs, which represents around 1-2% of the total food market. In addition, food business operators will need to notify authorities regarding products covered by the new draft legislation. Authorities should ensure there is post-market monitoring to make sure the rules are respected.
MEPs at the Public Health and Food Safety Committee adopted the draft text will replace several existing pieces of legislation in order to streamline and clarify labelling and composition rules of baby milks and food for people with special medical needs. The update was proposed due to problems faced by both consumers and authorities in distinguishing between foods for normal consumption and those for specific groups. In July 2011, the European Parliament also adopted a new Regulation on EU food labelling.
If the new draft legislation is fully adopted, the labelling of all milk formulae for babies up to 12 months (including 'follow-on' formulae) should not include pictures of babies or images that "idealise the use" of the product. The committee also asked the Commission to review the currently complex legal situation on milks aimed at children between 12-36 months (so-called 'growing-up milks') and propose new rules if needed.
In addition, MEPs recommended that special gluten labelling rules should be included in this legislation. Food products intended for people with gluten intolerance should contain less than 100 mg gluten per kg to be labelled as having "very low gluten content" and less than 20 mg of gluten per kg to be "gluten free". On the other hand, MEPs are concerned about increasing numbers of food products making slimming claims. A majority of MEPs asked for reviewing the new rules in order to cover energy-restricted diets that are designed to replace a person's daily food intake or strict diets for obese people. These include 'low calorie diets' (800-1200 calories per day) and 'very low calorie diets' (400-800 calories). Statements on diet foods aimed at the general population should be regulated by the 2006 health claims regulation.
Source: Public Health and Food Safety Committee
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