European Union Food Law Update - IV (Leibovitch) April 2009 is now available on the National Agriculture Law Center website.
Also available:
European Union Food Law Update - III (Coutrelis) 2006
European Union Food Law Update - II (Coutrelis) 2006
European Union Food Law Update (Coutrelis) 2005
The USDA FAS Attache Report, MEXICO, Labeling Requirements (April 14, 2009) has been released. This report covers the general labeling specifications rule for pre-packaged foods and non-alcoholic beverages. Currently the regulation is under review by the Mexican government. Read this report here
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) added four regional Web pages: Western Hemisphere, Europe, Africa and the Middle East, and Asia and Oceania. These regional pages link to country pages, which provide essential demographic, economic and political information. The regional pages are available here.
In addition, the FAS Web site includes many searchable databases providing export, import, production, supply, and distribution data, as well as export sales reports and market reports from U.S. agricultural trade experts stationed in 97 offices around the world. The database information is available here.
An advertisement for POM Wonderful read, “Cheat Death. The antioxidant power of pomegranate juice.” POM Wonderful offered the “no one would take it serious” defense. While consumers are unlikely to believe the juice would make them immortal, some may believe the product somehow contributed to a longer life, concluded the UK Advertising Standards Authority. The claim for longer life was not substantiated and was banned. The article in the UK Telegraph is here.
This World Health Organization (WHO) document reviews the global regulatory environment for nutrition labeling and health claims. It provides an overview of existing international, regional, and national regulations. It compiles, categorizes, and tabulates international, regional, and national regulations, and compares differing regulatory systems in 74 countries and areas. It also reviews regulations on the quantitative declaration of ingredients (information which indicates to consumers the proportion of healthful and less healthful components of the food product).
In Canada, natural health products and foods are regulated under the Food and Drugs Act (FDA) and its regulations. Products that meet the definition of a “natural health product” under the Natural Health Product Regulations (NHPR) are subject to the FDA. Products that are “food” as defined by the FDA are subject to regulation under the food requirements of the FDA and to Parts A, B and D of the Food and Drug Regulations (FDR).
Since implementing the Natural Health Product Regulations (NHPR) in 2004, Health Canada has received several hundred product license applications for products in food format (e.g., energy drinks, vitamin or mineral supplements in candy, and water with added vitamins or minerals). These products have characteristics of both natural health products (NHPs) and foods. There have been regulatory challenges in classifying these products. Are they food-like NHPs or NHPs in food form?
Health Canada provides a new guidance document that outlines the principles and consideration to be applied in determining if a product in a food format is a natural health product.
Shane Starling, NutraIngredients.com (Mar. 27, 2009) suggests that a several European industry groups are dissatisfied with the approach being taken by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in it assessment of health claims. A number of claims submitted for assessment under Article 14 have received negative opinions from EFSA.
The European Federation of Associations of Health Product Manufacturers (EHPM), the European Botanical Forum and the European Responsible Nutrition Alliance are considering challenging the controversial legislation in the European Court of Justice on the grounds that it breaches the free trade principles embodied in the European Union Treaty.
The EHPM is concerned that the EFSA intends assess article 13 claims (claims based on generally accepted scientific evidence) with the same “gold standard” approach used with assessing dossiers submitted under article 14 claims (disease risk reduction claims and children’s claims). EFSA has not released any opinions on the 4000 claims submitted under Article 13.1
Dr. P. Vincent Hegarty, Founding Director and Professor Emeritus, Institute for Food Laws & Regulations, will be speaking at the forthcoming Global Food Contact Legislation 2009 conference in Frankfurt, Germany. The conference is from Tuesday 23rd June until Thursday 25th June, 2009.
The conference examines the food contact laws for Europe, the US, Asia and other markets. This event will include expert analysis of updates to food contact legislation for countries including Ireland, Turkey, US, Argentina, Canada, China, Korea, Japan, and Thailand. Also included is a comprehensive overview of European regulatory changes and challenges and discussion of the most current issues by top legal, regulatory and industrial specialists.
You may find out further details of the program at www.globalfoodcontact.com. You may receive a 25% discount on the conference price if telephone or email Natalie King on +44 (0) 1372 802164 or natalie.king@pira-international.com and mention the Institute for Food Laws & Regulations by April 28.
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