WHO FOOD LAW COURSE FOOD LABELLING AND PUBLIC

WHO FOOD LAW COURSE FOOD LABELLING AND PUBLIC HEALTH

HEALTH ASPECTS OF LABELLING § Durability dating § Instructions for use § Health claims § Nutritional claims § Origin marking and traceability § Functional foods § Presence of allergens

Food labelling § Legislation based on Codex Alimentarius and harmonised across EU § UK legislation contained in Labelling Regulations 1996 (as Amended) 1998 and 1999

UK Food Safety Act 1990 § ‘Any person who gives with any food sold by him, or displays with any food offered. . by him for sale or in his possession for the purposes of sale, a label. . which: (a) falsely describes the food; or (b) is likely to mislead as to the nature or substance or the quality of the food, § Shall be guilty of an offence

Labelling regulations § Definition of labelling very broad: includes advertising § Labelling requirements mainly apply to ‘pre -packed’ food ie food in packaging or containers § Loose food covered by general requirements (see UK law earlier slide)

Definition of food labelling § Includes: § Words § Particulars § Trade marks § Brand names § Pictorial matter § symbols

Labelling may appear on: § Packaging § Documents § Notices § Labels § Rings § collars

Definition of pre-packed food § Put into container before offered for sale § Food cannot be altered without opening or changing the packaging § Food is ready for sale to ultimate consumer

Definition of ultimate consumer excludes § Retailers/wholesalers § Caterers § manufacturers

Important considerations § Particulars with which food is required to be labelled shall be: - easy to understand - clearly legible - indelible - easily visible (and not hidden)

Important considerations § Where one or more of the following statements are required to appear on the label they shall appear in the same ‘field of vision’ as the name of the food: § Durability § Alcoholic strength § Raw milk and other health warning § Quantity labelling

Current labelling issues § Declaration of allergens (remove exemptions) § Label genetically modified animal feed § Require nutritional labelling on all foods § Stricter control on nutrition claims § Controls on ‘disease reduction’ claims (when is a food a medicine? ) § Better origin labelling