EAS Highlights Evolving Global Regulatory Opportunities and Threats

In a workshop taking place on 13 April in Singapore, international food and nutrition policy consultancy EAS will give companies looking to launch products internationally an in-depth one-day session on the different regulations and practices in Asian, European and Latin American markets.

3/4/2011 --- Launching health supplements and functional foods in the increasingly global arena more and more requires a clear understanding of the regulatory opportunities and challenges in the different markets, EAS has said.

In a workshop taking place on 13 April in Singapore, international food and nutrition policy consultancy EAS will give companies looking to launch products internationally an in-depth one-day session on the different regulations and practices in Asian, European and Latin American markets.

Titled ‘Health supplements and functional foods: Secrets of successful regulatory strategies in Europe, Latin America and Asia’, the workshop will cover the diverse national regulations across Asia for putting products on the market, including do’s and don’ts when accessing the Vietnamese market; the challenges of the top five European Union legislations including the claims regulation; and regulatory developments in Latin America.

“With the regulatory arena for food supplements and functional foods becoming increasingly global, we recognise the need for companies to have a global perspective of existing and evolving regulations when they are devising their market strategies,” said Elodie Lebastard, EAS Europe Food Law Adviser and workshop presenter. “The European Union has been harmonising its legislations for a number of years, but with this harmonisation as yet not complete there are a number of complexities for food companies navigating the borderline between national and EU-wide rules.”

Fellow presenter and EAS Asia Regional Regulatory Affairs Manager Wai Mun Poon, agreed: “While the ten countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations are also in the process of harmonising their supplement regulation, diverse national regulations still exist across Asia for putting products onto the markets. It is important for food companies to know the regulatory challenges and opportunities in these markets in order to maximise their business potential.”

At the workshop, Ms Lebastard will guide participants through this EU regulatory maze covering the main five regulatory areas to be aware of when marketing nutritional products in Europe: nutrition and health claims, maximum levels of vitamins and minerals, rules for other ingredients, including botanicals, the novel food regulation and food labelling requirements.

She will also give an introduction to the rapidly growing Latin American food supplement market and its influence in global Codex Alimentarius discussions, focusing on Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela and Argentina.

Ms Poon will present the practical implications of different regulatory systems in China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, including rules for classifications and health claims.

She will be joined by Thach Do, Director of External Affairs at the Vietnam Association of Dietary Supplements, who will give an overview of the Vietnamese regulatory environment for food and dietary supplements, and functional foods.

During the day various question-and-answer sessions will take place, with a panel discussion to end the workshop.

For more information or to register for the event visit www.eas.asia