Defining health and nutrient statements

Wednesday 17 March 2004

In July 2003, in recognition of the growing need to protect and promote public health, the European Commission adopted a draft proposal for a Regulation on nutrition and health claims.

The proposal, which will require that all health claims on foods be approved before they are released onto the market, includes the adoption of a list of health claims based on well-established science.

Member States will be required to provide the Commission with contributions for the list and, in view of that, the Food Standards Agency commissioned the Joint Health Claims Initiative (JHCI) to produce an initial list of well-established health statements on which claims could be based, and develop a framework to do this.

The work was intended to help inform the UK position during negotiations on the European Commission’s proposal for legislation for nutrition and health claims, and the establishment of the list of generally accepted health claims.

The statements that appear in the JHCI report have not been approved by JHCI for use as health claims on foods (including dietary supplements). However, they do provide a sound scientific basis for the development of such claims.

If food manufacturers and businesses wish to generate health claims from these statements they should ensure that, when used in food labelling or to promote food products, they are meaningful and not misleading to consumers. They will also need to satisfy themselves that the claims comply with all the relevant legislation.

Further advice and information on health claims is available from the Joint Health Claims Initiative at PO Box 43, Leatherhead, Surrey KT22 7ZW.