The European Commission has published a draft proposal for a directive on the addition of vitamins, minerals and other substances to food. The UK's Food Standards Agency is calling for comments on the issue, prior to discussion at an expert meeting in Brussels at the beginning of March.
An informal draft proposal for the Directive (SANCO/1478/00) was published in June 2000, and discussed by Member States at a Commission working group in September 2000. The new preliminary draft proposal (SANCO/329/03) will lead to a regulation, designed to ease trade of fortified products and to protect consumers against possible health risks.
Adding nutrients to foods remains a largely unregulated area and rules between European states differ greatly. The proposal will not deal with national rules in Member States and will not apply to food supplements covered by this year's directive.
The proposal not only covers fortification or enrichment of foods but also replacement of nutrients lost during storage, handling and manufacturing and for producing substitute foods so that they meet the nutritional value of those they are to resemble (e.g. margarine as a substitute for butter).
The proposal will result in a list of permitted vitamins, minerals and vitamin formulations, with a further list for substances subject to conditions (these will remain on the list for three years during which time businesses may submit scientific data demonstrating that the substance is safe).
Certain substances will be restricted or prohibited for use, such as the Kava Kava and St John's Wort herbs and levels of caffeine and quinine in soft drinks, and certain products, including fresh produce (meat, fish and fruit and vegetables) and alcoholic drinks, will not be open to additives.
The proposal must also set levels of purity and maximum levels for nutrients. There will also be strict labelling rules, so that products do not mislead or deceive as to the nutritional merit of the added nutrients.
Comments can be sent to Akki Khan at the FSA by 26 February 2003.