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Nutrition and health claims made on foods
Nutrition and health claims made on foods
Nutrition and health claims made on foods
Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods
The European Commission must draw up nutrient* profiles and conditions for the use of nutrition and health claims on foods, taking into account:
Health claims should not:
The use of nutrition and health claims will only be allowed if the presence, absence or reduced content in a food of a substance has been shown to have a beneficial effect, as established by accepted scientific data. Such substances must be in quantities that can be reasonably consumed and in an amount to give the desired effect.
Health claims will only be allowed if the following information is on the label:
Health claims based on generally accepted scientific data, well understood by the average consumer, may be exempted from the authorisation process.
Drinks containing more than 1.2 % by volume of alcohol must not bear any health or nutrition claims other than one referring to the reduction in the alcohol or energy content.
Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 provides for the list of permitted health claims, other than those related to the reduction of disease risk and to children’s development and health. This regulation has applied since 14 December 2012 and is regularly amended to update the list of newly authorised health claims.
Application for authorisation
Any manufacturer may request the inclusion of a new claim to the permitted list by submitting an application to any EU country. The latter forwards it to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the Commission then takes a decision on the use of the claim based on the EFSA’s scientific opinion.
It has applied since 1 July 2007.
For more information, see:
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)
Successive amendments to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 have been incorporated in the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.
Commission Regulation (EC) No 353/2008 of 18 April 2008 establishing implementing rules for applications for authorisation of health claims as provided for in Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 109 of 19.4.2008, pp. 11-16)
Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 of 16 May 2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods, other than those referring to the reduction of disease risk and to children’s development and health (OJ L 136, 25.5.2012, pp. 1-40). See consolidated version.
Commission Implementing Decision 2013/63/EU of 24 January 2013 adopting guidelines for the implementation of specific conditions for health claims laid down in Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 (OJ L 22, 25.1.2013, pp. 25-28)
last update 16.08.2016