Health claims on food: EGAN letter to Commisioner Dalli

In a letter to Mr. Dalli, Commissioner-designate for Health and Consumer Policy, EGAN expresses its deepest concern with the current implementation of EU legislation on health claims on food (EC Regulation 1924/2006), which finds itself in a crucial stage as a decision by the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCFCAH) is expected in March/April 2010.

EGAN feels that claims for which the evidence is there but not yet conclusive deserve more time to be assessed given their potential value to consumers including patients. Public health is dynamic and the development of new products contributing to prevention of disease is of the utmost importance to cope with this challenging environment. Our network of organisations recognises the diversity in genetic backgrounds and the corresponding different needs for different individual patients. Patients should therefore be provided with choice that fit their personal needs. We therefore believe that food ingredients which have the potential to contribute to health, wellbeing and quality of life should not just be ruled out by simplified ‘black and white’ decision-making.
 

Read the the full letter to Mr. Dalli.