26/02/2008
CIAA reacts to EFSA opinion on nutrient profiles
CIAA welcomes today’s scientific opinion from EFSA.  We will carefully study the report, which provides the scientific basis on which the Commission and Member States will base the definition of the EU nutrient profiling scheme. Such a scheme is meant to establish which foods are allowed to carry health and nutrition claims in the EU and which are not, based on the nutritional composition of the product.

It is widely accepted that diets must be assessed as a whole, rather than isolating individual nutrients, as weight gain, and other diet-related health problems are caused by a combination of factors such as unbalanced diets and lack of physical activity.

This principle of balanced diet and active lifestyle is the basis of EU policy on obesity, set out in the European Commission White Paper Strategy for Europe on Nutrition, Overweight and Obesity Related Health Issues of May 2007.  It is also the foundation of the Commission’s EU Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health, which brings together government, industry, academia and others to develop measures to help EU citizens improve their diets and lead a more active lifestyle. CIAA plays an active role on this platform.

We look forward to pro-actively participating in the next steps of the process: the definition of the nutrient profiling scheme.  We will be pleased to provide our expertise and knowledge in particular in relation to food composition, innovation and consumer acceptance. Throughout this process, we commit to full engagement with the European Commission, national governments, the European Parliament, EFSA and all other relevant stakeholders such as consumer organisations and health NGOs.

Download the full position in English