UNECE International Forum on Market Surveillance and Consumer Protection UNECE, Geneva, November 2005 International Standards and Current Issues on Food Labelling Selma H. Doyran Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme

Food Labelling To provide information –nature of the food –ingredients and characteristics –nutrition –food safety: conditions of use, storage To protect consumers and producers against fraud To ensure fair practices in food trade ? ? ?

Codex Alimentarius: General aspects Codex labelling provisions are considered in the perspective of the Codex objectives To protect the health of consumers –information related to food hygiene/prevention of contamination: conditions of use, temperature, storage, mode of preparation To ensure fair practices in international food trade –clear information on the nature and characteristics of products –prevent consumer deception and fraud: misleading claims –fair trade practices: producers and traders, import and export

Codex Alimentarius: General aspects Relevance for member countries Standards (end product), Codes of Practice (process), Guidelines (recommendations in various areas, especially labelling) Recommendations: all texts = voluntary Reference in international trade (WTO Agreements SPS and TBT) Reference for countries in the establishment of national food legislation/standards Technical assistance FAO and WHO

Labelling in Codex Codex Committee on Food Labelling (CCFL): General Labelling requirements, nutrition labelling, conditions for different types of claims Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU): nutrition issues, standards for FSDU, conditions for nutrition and health claims Other Codex Committees: labelling provisions for individual foods in specific standards (fats and oils, milk products, fishery products etc...)

General Labelling Provisions General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods (1985/revised 1991, 1999, 2001, 2003) General Guidelines on Claims (1991) Guidelines on Nutrition Labelling (1985/revised 1993, 2003) Guidelines on Use of Nutrition and Health Claims (1997, Revised 2004)

Labelling Principles Pre-packaged food shall not be described or presented on any label in a manner that is false, misleading, or deceptive (General Standard and General Guidelines on Claims) No presentation suggestive of another product with which the food might be confused (General Standard) –Example: name of species and common name Claims that cannot be substantiated are prohibited ( General Guidelines on Claims), including several claims related to nutrition, health and food safety

General Standard : main requirements Name of the food (as in Codex standards when applicable) List of ingredients Net contents and drained weight Name and address, lot identification Date marking Instructions for Use and Storage Quantitative labelling when applicable Country of origin: shall be declared if its omission would mislead or deceive the consumer

Guidelines on Nutrition Labelling Purpose of the Guidelines To provide information to consumers on nutrient content to allow an informed choice To convey information on the nutrient content of a food on the label (nutrient declaration) To encourage the use of sound nutrition principles in the formulation of foods which would benefit public health To provide the opportunity to include supplementary nutrition information on the label

Guidelines on Nutrition Labelling Nutrition labelling should not present food in a manner which is false, misleading, deceptive or insignificant No nutritional claims should be made without nutrition labelling Nutrient declaration is mandatory only when claims are made The impact of nutrition labelling is related to nutrition education in order to allow consumers to make informed choice and improve their diet

Guidelines for Use of Nutrition and Health Claims Applicable to all foods Nutrition claims should be consistent with national nutrition policy Health claims should be consistent with national health policy, and support such policies where applicable Health claims should be supported by scientific evidence, provide truthful information to aid consumers in choosing healthful diets and be supported by nutrition education Foods for which a nutrition claim is made should be labelled in accordance with the Guidelines on Nutrition Labelling

Nutrition Claims Conditions for Nutrient Content Claims: maximum values –LOW : energy, fat (3g/100g), saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium –VERY LOW: sodium –FREE : energy, fat, cholesterol, sugars,sodium Minimum values –“HIGH” or “SOURCE” for –protein, vitamins and minerals –values for fibre still under consideration

Nutrition, Labelling and Health Policy WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health : Governments should provide accurate and balanced information for consumers: Education, communication and public awareness Marketing, advertising, sponsorship and promotion Labelling : consumers require accurate information – governments may require information on key nutritional aspects, as proposed in the Guidelines on Nutrition Labelling Health claims : increasing use of health messages, must not mislead the public

Guidelines on the Production, Processing, Labelling and Marketing of Organically Produced Foods Organic ? Labelling claim: Codex Committee on Food Labelling –main part of the Guidelines (general aspects and vegetable products) adopted in 1999 – livestock and livestock products –Ongoing revision and updating: –Criteria for substances updated (2003) –Lists of substances: updated 2004 –ongoing revision

Guidelines for Organically Produced Foods: Objectives to protect the consumer against misleading claims to protect organic producers : fair trade practices to ensure that all stages of the process are subject to inspection to provide international Guidelines for organic control systems in order to facilitate recognition of national systems as equivalent for the purpose of imports

Guidelines for Organically Produced Foods : main provisions Purpose and scope Description and definitions Labelling and claims (including “conversion”) Rules of production and preparation, including criteria and lists of substances Inspection and certification systems Livestock and livestock products Beekeeping and bee products

Other issues under discussion: Biotechnology and Labelling Labelling of allergens transferred in foods derived from biotechnology: adopted Draft Definitions: Modern biotechnology? Genetically Modified/Engineered ? no consensus General recommendations for labelling of foods from biotechnology / GMOs and derived products: no consensus

Other Issues under discussion Quantitative Declaration of Ingredients (QUID): Amendment under discussion –Practical application ? More consumer information or additional cost to industry and consumers ? Advertising: should provisions for labelling apply to advertising, and how ? Criteria for the scientific basis of health claims

Contacts Codex Alimentarius Commission Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, c/-Food and Nutrition Division, FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla Rome Italy Fax: +39 (06)