92001E3361

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3361/01

by Michael Cashman (PSE) to the Commission

(6 December 2001)

Subject: Food allergies

Is the Commission aware of the risk that gluten and lactose may pose for many people? Can the Commission detail what steps it is taking to ensure that processed products and restaurant menus identify whether they contain either of these two ingredients?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(21 January 2002)

The Commission is aware that gluten causes intolerance in certain people and that dairy products, including lactose, are one of the most common allergens.

For persons suffering from allergies or intolerance to one or more substances, it is indeed essential to be able to check whether this substance or these substances are present in foods.

That is why, in keeping with its intention announced in the White Paper on food safety(1), the Commission presented Parliament and Council with a proposal(2) amending Directive 2000/13/EC on the labelling of foods.

This proposal includes a list of ingredients or substances that cause allergies or forms of intolerance, and stipulates that the ingredients or substances concerned, or products derived therefrom, must be mentioned on the labelling of foods in which they are present, with no possibility of exemptions.

Cereals containing gluten and dairy products are included in this list.

As far as foodstuffs sold in a non-pre-packaged form are concerned, which includes foods offered by restaurants, Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 March 2000(3) stipulates that the requisite information must be communicated to consumers in a way to be decided by the Member States. These rules will continue to apply following the adoption of the proposal referred to above.

(1) COM(1999) 719 final.

(2) OJ C 332 E, 27.11.2001.

(3) OJ L 109, 6.5.2000.