The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) says it is keen to hear views from Irish industry on the European Community's proposed new regulation to govern nutrition and health claims on foods.
The new regulation, expected to come into force in 2005, will vet all nutrition and health claims included on any food packaging, ensuring that claims made for presence of a particular nutrient contain a minimum level of the advertised nutrient, and restricting potentially misleading information, particularly for foods marketed at consumers trying to lose weight.
The FSAI has set up a consultation process on its website to allow industry to comment on the proposal, which was broadly welcomed by the agency. It is particularly keen to hear from consumers, as the regulation will directly affect all members of the public, it said.
"This new EU Regulation will make great strides to ensure that misleading, untruthful or inaccurate labelling will be removed. Consumers should not be fooled by labels on foods, they have a right to know what they are buying," said Alan Reilly, acting chief executive of FSAI.
The EU proposal, announced by the European commissioner for health, Irishman David Byrne, last week, has already raised concern among Europe's food industry however, which pointed to restricted marketing potential and higher costs, as claims will have to be translated into all European languages.