EU food safety body delivers opinion on health claims

The European Union’s food safety watchdog delivered a long-awaited opinion on Thursday to the EU executive arm that will help determine whether food producers’ health claims about their products are backed up by science.

The European Food Safety Authority said it had studied more than 500 claims made by companies about the nutritional value or healthiness of products, such as labelling them “low fat”, “high fibre” or able to reinforce the body’s natural defences.

It said it had approved one third of the claims, but gave few details. It did not mention any of the brands concerned and did not say which had been rejected.

“There were many claims on the market and consumers needed to be reassured that these claims were accurate and were backed by science,” Albert Flynn, chair of the European Food Safety Authority panel which is evaluating the claims, told Reuters.

European rules protect consumers from fake claims by prohibiting publication of any information which may be false, misleading or difficult to understand.

The opinions of the EFSA will help guide future decisions by the European Commission, the EU’s executive, and EU member states on what claims food makers can be authorised to make to market their products.

“If the claims are backed by science, it may be permitted, but if they are not, they may be prohibited,” Flynn said.

“From an industry perspective, it means that there would be a level playing field for food companies so that they compete fairly and make the claims that are authorised.”

The EFSA has examined 523 of the more than 4,000 claims it plans to look into.

The claims related to more than 200 foods and food components such as vitamins and minerals, fibre, fats, carbohydrates and “probiotic”, or therapeutic, bacteria to determine their nutritional value.

The watchdog looked at the functions of vitamins and minerals in the body and also included dietary fibres, fatty acids for maintenance of cholesterol levels, and sugar-free chewing gum for maintenance of dental health.

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* Safety watchdog delivers opinion on product claims

* Aim is to protect consumers better over health claims

* Will help guide EU decisions on authorising claims

By Bate Felix

BRUSSELS (Reuters)