Vitamins and minerals

SUMMARY OF:

Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006 — rules on the addition of vitamins and minerals and some other substances to foods

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION?

The regulation:

sets out the EU’s rules concerning the addition of vitamins, minerals and some other substances to foods;
harmonises the different rules in force in EU countries to ease trade in foods within the EU and to improve consumer protection;
sets out the list of vitamins and minerals which may be added to foods;
sets out rules for additional labelling to provide consumers with better information on the nutrients added to foods.

KEY POINTS

Scope

The regulation covers vitamins, minerals and some other substances which are added to foods. It applies to:

It does not apply to food supplements covered by Directive 2002/46/EC.

It lists vitamins and minerals which may be added to foods.

Only vitamins and/or minerals listed in Annex I, in the form detailed in Annex II, may be added to foods, subject to the rules laid down in the regulation.

The lists may be modified taking account of the opinion of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Labelling

Nutritional labelling of products to which vitamins and minerals have been added and which are covered by the regulation is compulsory. It must contain the following information:

the total amounts of vitamins and minerals where they are added to a food;
the amount of protein, carbohydrate, sugars, fat, saturates, fibre and sodium (in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on food labelling);
the energy value of the product.

The labelling, presentation and advertising of foods to which vitamins and minerals have been added:

shall not mislead or deceive the consumer about their nutritional value;
shall not include any mention stating or implying that a balanced and varied diet is not an adequate source of nutritional substances.

Maximum and minimum levels

Adding vitamins and minerals voluntarily to foods can contribute to achieving adequate intakes of these substances and reduce the risk of deficiencies.

However, excessive intakes of vitamins and minerals may have adverse effect on health. For this reason, the regulation provides for the setting of maximum amounts of vitamins and minerals to be added to foods.

The maximum amounts take account of:

the upper safe levels for vitamins and minerals following a scientific risk assessment;
the potential intake of vitamins and minerals from other foods; and
the reference intakes of vitamins and minerals recommended for the population.

If necessary, it also takes account of the contribution of individual products to the overall diet of the population and of the nutrient profile established in accordance with Regulation (EC) 1924/2006.

Adding a vitamin or a mineral to a food shall result in at least a significant amount of that vitamin or that mineral in the food, where this amount has been defined according to the Annex to Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011.

Prohibitions and restrictions

Vitamins and minerals may not be added to:

unprocessed foodstuffs, including fruit, vegetables, meat, poultry and fish;
beverages containing more than 1.2 % by volume of alcohol, except in specific cases and provided that no nutrition or health claim is made.

The regulation allows for a procedure to prohibit or restrict the use of substances other than vitamins or minerals which have a nutritional or physiological effect*. For some substances, these procedures are accompanied by other specific European control measures. EU countries can submit a request to the European Commission, providing scientific evidence allowing it to classify a particular product in the regulation's Annex III (Substances whose use in foods is prohibited, restricted or under Community scrutiny). Implementing Regulation (EU) No 307/2012 clarifies the conditions for submitting such a request, as well as laying down the nature of the evidence to accompany the request.

The Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (PAFF) assists the Commission.

FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?

It has applied since 1 July 2007.

KEY TERMS

Physiological effect: an effect on the human body.

MAIN DOCUMENT

Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on the addition of vitamins and minerals and of certain other substances to foods (OJ L 404, 30.12.2006, pp. 26-38)

Successive amendments to Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006 have been incorporated into the original document. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

RELATED DOCUMENTS

Regulation (EU) No 609/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 June 2013 on food intended for infants and young children, food for special medical purposes, and total diet replacement for weight control and repealing Council Directive 92/52/EEC, Commission Directives 96/8/EC, 1999/21/EC, 2006/125/EC and 2006/141/EC, Directive 2009/39/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Commission Regulations (EC) No 41/2009 and (EC) No 953/2009 (OJ L 181, 29.6.2013, pp. 35-56)

See consolidated version.

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 307/2012 of 11 April 2012 establishing implementing rules for the application of Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the addition of vitamins and minerals and of certain other substances to foods (OJ L 102, 12.4.2012, pp. 2–4)

Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011 on the provision of food information to consumers, amending Regulations (EC) No 1924/2006 and (EC) No 1925/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council, and repealing Commission Directive 87/250/EEC, Council Directive 90/496/EEC, Commission Directive 1999/10/EC, Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, Commission Directives 2002/67/EC and 2008/5/EC and Commission Regulation (EC) No 608/2004 (OJ L 304, 22.11.2011, pp. 18-63)

See consolidated version.

Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on flavourings and certain food ingredients with flavouring properties for use in and on foods and amending Council Regulation (EEC) No 1601/91, Regulations (EC) No 2232/96 and (EC) No 110/2008 and Directive 2000/13/EC (OJ L 354, 31.12.2008, pp. 34–50)

See consolidated version.

Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on food additives (OJ L 354, 31.12.2008, pp. 16–33)

See consolidated version.

Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods (OJ L 404, 30.12.2006, pp. 9-25)

See consolidated version.

Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2003 on genetically modified food and feed (OJ L 268, 18.10.2003, pp. 1-23)

See consolidated version.

Directive 2002/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 June 2002 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to food supplements (OJ L 183, 12.7.2002, pp. 51-57)

See consolidated version.

Regulation (EC) No 258/97 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 1997 concerning novel foods and novel food ingredients (OJ L 43, 14.2.1997, pp. 1-6)

See consolidated version.

last update 28.09.2017