Terezia Sinkova Food labelling legislation health aspects WHO

Terezia Sinkova Food labelling legislation - health aspects - WHO, Almaty 2002 Food labelling legislation: health aspects

Labelling means Declaration of meeting legislative requirements i. e. information on food safety and health protection Possibility for consumers to choose food products according to nutrition information WHO, Almaty 2002 Food labelling legislation: health aspects 2

Labelling is the primary means of communication between l l producer and seller of food and the purchaser and consumer. should: l l be correct, clear, explicit and understandable for consumers avoid misleading of consumers WHO, Almaty 2002 Food labelling legislation: health aspects 3

Codex Alimentarius to ensure fair trade practices to protect health of consumers standards + guidelines WHO, Almaty 2002 l Codex general standard for labelling of prepackaged foods l Codex general standard for labelling of food additives when sold as such l Codex general standard for labelling foods for special dietary uses Food labelling legislation: health aspects 4

Codex general guidelines on claims CAC/GL 1 -1979 /Rev. 1991/ l Prohibited claims e. g. : Food is an adequate source of all essential nutrients /if not accepetd by appropriate authorities/, Food is suitable for use in prevention, treatment or cure of a disease, . . l Potentially misleading claims Meaningless claims Claims of Good Hygienic Practice, e. g. „wholesome“, „healthful“, . . . l Conditional claims /allowed at particular conditions/ e. g. : „natural“, „home made“, religious preparation /Halal, Kosher, . . . /. . . WHO, Almaty 2002 Food labelling legislation: health aspects 5

Codex general standard for labelling of prepackaged foods CODEX STAN 1 -1985 /Rev. 1 -1991/ l l l e. g. Definitions l Date of manufacture General principles l Durability information Mandatory labelling l Ingredient Optional labelling l Food additive Presentation of mandatory information l. . . WHO, Almaty 2002 Food labelling legislation: health aspects 6

Codex general standard for labelling of prepackaged foods CODEX STAN 1 -1985 /Rev. 1 -1991/ l l l Definitions General principles Mandatory labelling Optional labelling Presentation of mandatory information WHO, Almaty 2002 l Prohibition of false or misleading labelling Food labelling legislation: health aspects 7

Codex general standard for labelling of prepackaged foods CODEX STAN 1 -1985 /Rev. 1 -1991/ l l l Definitions General principles Mandatory labelling Optional labelling Presentation of mandatory information l l l l l WHO, Almaty 2002 Name of food List of ingredients Net content and drained weight Name and address /producer, distributor, importer, . . . / Country of origin Lot identification Minimum date of durability Storage instructions Instructions for use Food labelling legislation: health aspects 8

List of ingredients - declared on the label l l Any substance, including a food additive, used and present in the final product Ingredients in descending order Foods and ingredients causing hypersensitivity /cereals containing gluten, fish and fish products, . . . / - always declared Food additives: class titles + specific name or numerical identification WHO, Almaty 2002 Food labelling legislation: health aspects 9

Traceability information l l l Name and address /producer, distributor, importer, . . . / Country of origin Lot identification WHO, Almaty 2002 Food labelling legislation: health aspects 10

Durability information l Date of minimum durability /best before/ l Use-by date /recommended date of last consumption/ Foods that can be spoiled by microorganisms and threaten health of consumers Important: instructions for storage WHO, Almaty 2002 Food labelling legislation: health aspects 11

Durability information Is not required for: l Fresh fruites, vegetables, potatoes l Wines, liquers and beverages with 10 % or more by volume of alcohol l Bakers´wares which are normally consumed within 24 hours of their manufacture l Vinegar l Food grade salt l Solid sugars l Confectionery products and chewing gum WHO, Almaty 2002 Food labelling legislation: health aspects 12

Codex general standard for labelling of prepackaged foods CODEX STAN 1 -1985 /Rev. 1 -1991/ l l l Definitions General principles Mandatory labelling Optional labelling Presentation of mandatory information WHO, Almaty 2002 l Any information if it is not in conflict with the mandatory requirements and with the general principles Food labelling legislation: health aspects 13

Codex general standard for labelling of prepackaged foods CODEX STAN 1 -1985 /Rev. 1 -1991/ l l l Definitions General principles Mandatory labelling Optional labelling Presentation of mandatory information WHO, Almaty 2002 l l General /e. g. label will not become separated from the container, . . . / Language /a supplementary label with complete mandatory information/ Food labelling legislation: health aspects 14

Additional mandatory requirements l l Quantitative labelling of ingredients - If labelling/description a food stresses presence of one or more valuable ingredients - If labelling stresses low content of one or more ingredients Irradiated foods - If a food was treated with ionizing radiation - If an irradiated raw material or product is used as an ingredient WHO, Almaty 2002 Food labelling legislation: health aspects 15

Labelling of organically produced foods Codex guidelines for production, processing, labelling and marketing of organically produced foods CAC/GL 32 -1999 Additional requirements/recommendations to those of the Codex general standard for labelling of prepackaged foods indications related to a method of agricultural production WHO, Almaty 2002 Food labelling legislation: health aspects 16

Codex general standard for labelling of food additives when sold as such CODEX STAN 107 -1981 Applies also to food „processing aids“ l l l l Name of each FA present /a list/ Proportion of individual FAs Preparation: a list of ingredients in descending order of proportion Mixture of flavourings: name of each flavouring Minimum durability: „Will keep at least untill. . “ Statement „For Food Use“ Instructions on keeping and use Net content, name and address, country of origin, . . . WHO, Almaty 2002 Food labelling legislation: health aspects 17

Codex general standard for labelling foods for special dietary uses CODEX STAN 146 -1985 Structure similar like above. Declaration of nutrition information: l Amount of energy per 100 g or 100 ml expressed in kilocalories /kcal/ and kilojoules /k. J/ l Numer of grammes of protein, available carbohydrate and fat per 100 g or 100 ml l Total quantity of those specific nutrients or other components which provide essential feature for the special dietary use per 100 g or 100 ml l Specified quantity of the food as suggested for consumption WHO, Almaty 2002 Food labelling legislation: health aspects 18

Codex guidelines of nutrition claims CAC/GL 23 -1997 Codex guidelines on nutrition labelling CAC/GL 2 -1985 /Rev. 1 -1993/ Presentation of nutritional properties l l Only essential nutrients with Nutrient Reference Values Food must be a significant source of the nutrient Function claim – based on scientific consensus No statement that the nutrient would afford a cure or treatment for or protection from disease. WHO, Almaty 2002 Food labelling legislation: health aspects 19

Codex guidelines of nutrition claims CAC/GL 23 -1997 Conditions for claims related to dietary guidelines or „healthy diets“: l Existence of dietary guidelines - officially recognized by the national authority l Food itself should not be described as „healthy“ l Food may be described as a part of „healthy diet“ if the label carries a statement relating to food pattern of eating described in the dietary guidelines WHO, Almaty 2002 Food labelling legislation: health aspects 20

Codex guidelines for nutrition claims – claims related to dietary guidelines or health Table of conditions for nutrient contents Selected example: Cholesterol – low: 0, 02 g/100 g /solids/ 0, 01 g/100 ml /liquids/ - free: 0, 005 g/100 g 0, 005/100 ml - and, for both claims: less than 1, 5 g saturated fat/100 g 0, 75 g saturated fat/100 ml and 10 % of energy of saturated fat l WHO, Almaty 2002 Food labelling legislation: health aspects 21

Latest trends l EU: Special regulations for labelling of novel foods, novel food ingredients and novel food additives those containing or consisting of or produced from genetically modified organisms WHO, Almaty 2002 Food labelling legislation: health aspects 22

How to develop national legislation on food labelling General labelling provisions /as mentioned above/ – related in generally to any food – should be mentioned in a horizontal part of legislation l Additional specific labelling provisions – related only to specific product /or group of products/ - should be included where needed. Example: Each vertical chapter of Food Codex SR contains a part considering special labelling requirements in addition to those given in the horizontal provisions. l WHO, Almaty 2002 Food labelling legislation: health aspects 23

Special labelling requirements - example 1 SR Food Codex, Chapter 7 /horizontal: Foods for special dietary uses/, Part 7: Foods for diabetics 1/ In addition to provisions of the 2 nd Chapter of the Food Codex, a trade name of food for diabetics should contain: Identification „Food for diabetics“ l Contents of energy expressed in k. J or kcal/100 g or /100 ml l Contents of proteins, fats and utilizable saccharides expressed in: g/100 g, or g/100 ml l Contents of vitamins and minerals expressed in mg/100 g or /100 ml l Information on sources and types of sacharides l Warning that the food may have a laxative effect if daily intake of alcoholic sugar, being a part of the food, will extend 20 g 2/ Following additional information may be introduced: l „Food does not contain sucrose“ /if the food does not contain natural sucrose/ l Symbol: a red stripe WHO, Almaty 2002 Food labelling legislation: health aspects 24

Special labelling requirements - example 2 SR Food Codex, Chapter 24 /vertical/, Part 6: Coffee l l Trade name of roasted coffee composed from one sort should be identified with both - the name of sort and method of technological processing while geographic origin may be introduced, e. g. „Roasted ground Brasil decaffeinated coffee“ Trade name of roasted coffee composed from more sorts should be identified as „a mixture“ together with identifying individual sorts and method of technological processing. Trade name of flavourized coffee should contain a name of flavouring, e. g. „Roasted genuine Brasil coffee with strawberry flavour“. . . . WHO, Almaty 2002 Food labelling legislation: health aspects 25