food labbelling

© 2011 The British Nutrition Foundation

Food labelling and health claims

Dr Áine O’ConnorNutrition Scientist

British Nutrition Foundation


Outline

• Food legislation: an update

• Nutrition information

• Front-of-pack labelling

• Food fortification

• Nutrition and health claims

• Where are we now with the health claims process?


Legislation

• Food labelling legislation is harmonised at EU level

• Food labelling Regulations 1996

• Food Standards Agency is responsible for food labelling legislation and policy in Scotland

• A new EU Regulation -Food information Regulation- adopted by the European Council last month


Food Information Regulation

• EC issued a proposal in 2008 for a new Food Information Regulation (FIR)

• New FIR will consolidate EU rules on general food + nutrition labelling into a single Regulation

• Replace existing legislation in UK

• Excepted to come into force (Dec) with transition period

• For more info, see: http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/labellingnutrition/foodlabelling/proposed_legislation_en.htm


Changes:

• Nutrition information on processed foods• Origin labelling of fresh meat from pigs, sheep,

goats and poultry• Highlighting of allergens (e.g. peanuts or milk) in

the list of ingredients• Better legibility (minimum size of text)• provision of allergen information on non-pre

packed foods


What must be on a label?

Name of foodList of ingredients (in descending order)Weight or volumeGM ingredientsDate and storage conditionsPreparation instructions Place of originLot or batch number


Date marks

There are two different date marks which appear on food labels:

• ‘Use-by’ - found on perishable foods, e.g. milk, meat, fish. Foods are not safe to eat after this date (food safety).

• ‘Best before’ - found on a wide range of food including fresh, frozen, dried, canned and other foods. Foods can be eaten after this date, but may not be at their best quality (quality, taste, texture and appearance).


Nutrition information

• Not mandatory unless a nutrition claim is made e.g. ‘low fat’ or ‘high fibre…

• If a nutrition claim is made: Energy value of the food in kJ and kcal must be

provided Amount of protein, carbohydrate and fat in g must

be provided


Nutrition information

• If they choose to provide nutrition information it must be in one of two formats

• Further information can be added to labels such as the amounts of polyunsaturates, monounsaturates, starch, cholesterol, vitamins and minerals

Format 1: ‘Big 4’Energy (kJ and kcal)Protein (g)Carbohydrate (g)Fat (g)

Format 2: ‘Big 4 and Little 4’Energy (kJ and kcal)Protein (g)Carbohydrate (g)of which: sugars (g)Fat (g)of which: saturates (g)Fibre (g)Sodium (g)


Allergen information

• Foods that are known to cause allergies and intolerances may be listed in a box or highlighted to draw attention to their presence, e.g. this product contains MILK

• FIR will require unpackaged foods to provide allergy information


Vegetarian

• Industry already labels foods as suitable for vegetarians or vegan

• 2006, FSA provided guidance for manufacturers, caterers and enforcement authorities to improve food labelling for vegans and vegetarians

• The FSA guidelines, have now been adopted by the European Parliament giving the use of the term vegetarian/vegan legal status

For more information, see:

http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2006/apr/vegvegan


Front-of-pack labelling

• Most of the big supermarkets and many food manufacturers also display nutritional information on the front of pre-packed food

• Traffic light labels on the front-of-pack provides information on high (red), medium (amber) or low (green) amounts of fat, saturated fat, sugars and salt

• The number of grams of fat, saturated fat, sugars and salt in what the manufacturer or retailer suggests as a ‘serving’ of the food though the criteria are per 100g


Nutrition traffic light guidelines

Sugars Fat Saturates Salt

What is high per 100g

Over 15g

Over 20g

Over 5g Over 1.5g

What is medium per 100g

Between 5g &15g

Between 3g & 20g

Between 1.5 & 5g

Between 0.3g &1.5g

What is low per 100g

5g & below

3g & below

1.5g & below

0.3g & below

Food Standards Agency

Sugars Fat Saturates Salt

What is high per 100g

Over 15g

Over 20g

Over 5g Over 1.5g

What is medium per 100g

Between 5g &15g

Between 3g & 20g

Between 1.5 & 5g

Between 0.3g &1.5g

What is low per 100g

5g & below

3g & below

1.5g & below

0.3g & below


Guideline Daily Amount (GDA)

• Guideline Daily Amounts (GDAs) are guidelines for healthy adults and children on the approximate amount of calories, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrate, total sugars, protein, fibre, salt and sodium required for a healthy diet

• GDAs are not targets for individuals to consume, but a guideline or benchmark to help them make dietary choices and balance their daily intake


Front of pack labelling evaluation research

• Research is to evaluate the impact of the various FOP nutritional signposting schemes on consumer knowledge and behaviour

• The coexistence of a range of FOP label formats causes difficulty for shoppers

• The strongest labels are those which include all of:- Words ‘High/med/low’ +- Traffic lights +- %Guideline Daily Amount

BUT• European Parliament failed to adopt traffic light labeling

(June 2010)• Quantities per 100g, GDAs and country of origin labeling

were approved


Food fortification

• Mandatory– Fortification - margarine (vitamins A & D to

levels comparable with butter)– Restoration – brown & white bread flour (iron,

thiamin & niacin) – to replace nutrients lost in milling (Bread & Flour Regulations 1998)

– Calcium• Voluntary

– Vitamins & minerals to breakfast cereals– Folic acid to spreads– Omega 3 (and other) fatty acids– Dietary fibres– Plant & herbal extracts


Why fortify foods?

*’Low’ defined as intakes less than the Lower Reference Nutrient Intake (LRNI)

Source: SACN (2008): The Nutritional Wellbeing of the British Population

Low intake* Low status

Iron Iron

Riboflavin Riboflavin

Vitamin A Vitamin B6

Calcium Vitamin B12

Magnesium Folate

Potassium Thiamin

Zinc Vitamin C

Iodine Vitamin D


What are nutrition and health claims?


Nutrition claims

• A claim about what a food contains– Low fat– High fibre– Reduced sugar– Source of vitamin C


Health claims

• A claim about the effect a food or drink has on health– Calcium is important for healthy bones– Helps you feel fuller for longer– Omega 3 fatty acids can reduce the risk of

heart disease– Contributes to healthy gut function


Why regulate claims on food?


EC Regulation 1924/2006

• Regulation 1924/2006/EC developed in order to:

– Protect consumers from misleading claims– Encourage innovation in the food industry– Harmonise rules on claims in the EU allowing

free trade


What does the regulation do?

• Sets standards for nutrition claims• Process to ensure health claims are scientific• Nutrient profile• Some claims not permitted


Nutrition Claims

• Only those in regulation can be used

• Conditions of use apply– e.g. low fat = <3g/100g– Source of vitamin C – at least 15% RDA

• Will have to comply with nutrient profile


Health claims

• Divided into categories– Generally accepted scientific evidence– Newer evidence– Those relating to either:

• Reduction in disease risk• Children's health and development


‘Generally accepted scientific evidence’

• Text-book level

• Calcium is important for healthy bones

• Fibre can help maintain a healthy gut

• Vitamin A is necessary for normal vision


Newer evidence

• Probiotics/prebiotics?

• Plant bioactives?


Reduction of disease risk

• Cholesterol reduction (plant stanols/sterols)• Xylitol and healthy teeth


Assessment of health claims

• Expert body (EFSA) assesses the science

• EC – EFSA opinion and consumer understanding

• Claims placed on accepted/rejected list


‘Generally accepted scientific evidence’– current situation

• EFSA finalised claims in June

• More than 40,000 claims submitted by member states

• 341 opinions (+/-) providing scientific advice on >2,000 claims

• Complex, long process with lots of disagreement!

• Opinions on claims related to botanicals are pending


Case studies


‘Vitamin D is essential for the bone growth of children’

– Studies showed good consensus on role of vitamin D in bone growth

– Cause and effect relationship established– Many people in EU with low vitamin D– Food making claim should be at least a ‘source

of’ vitamin D (15% RDA)

• EC – approved claim


Cranberry products and reduction in risk of UTIs

– Some studies in test tubes– Human studies carried out in unwell subjects– High doses of active ingredients used– Some were too small – Cause and effect relationship not established

• EC– Rejected claim based on EFSA opinion


Nutrient profile

• Designed to prevent claims on foods that have an overall ‘less healthy’ profile

• EFSA provided advice in 2008 highlighting– Saturated fatty acids– Added sugars– Sodium


Nutrient profile – current situation

• Due January 2009

• Still not available!

• Much disagreement on all sides

• No scheduled date for publication of final version


Conclusions

• Important for nutrition and health claims in Europe to be evidence-based and consistent

• But…– EC regulation complex– Lack of nutrient profile– Behind schedule

• How does the consumer view nutrition and health claims?


For more information on progress in the health claims process, visit :

http://www.efsa.europa.eu/

Nutrition Bulletin: www.blackwellpublishing.com/nbu


Thank you

www.nutrition.org.uk

www.foodafactoflife.org

food labbelling

Food

nutrition claim

update nutrition information

food labels

date food safety

g fibre g sodium g

food list of ingredients

sugars g fat g

allergy information