IDACE: Deregulation of EU Dietetic Foods a Threat to Vulnerable Consumers

IDACE members from 18 countries confirmed that they will do all they can to significantly amend this proposal in order to ensure the continuance of protection for the vulnerable areas of the population which they serve.

6/24/2011 --- IDACE (The European Dietetic Foods Association) has responded to the publication of Commission proposal to deregulate large parts of the PARNUTS FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE during its General Assembly in Lisbon on the 20th June. It makes the following points:

• The existing Dietetic food legislation has safely protected vulnerable EU consumers for more than 35 years. It has provided specialist and strictly regulated foods for infants, young children, the obese and overweight, the malnourished (medical nutrition), the food allergic and intolerant (eg. celiac disease), and athletes.
• The proposal published by the Commission yesterday abolishes the category of Dietetic foods and proposes that they become “general” foods therefore removing the special protection of vulnerable consumers which has existed for over 3 decades.
• Speaking today at the Annual General Assembly of IDACE in Lisbon, President Ferdinand Haschke said:
“There is no justification for dismantling the existing legislation. General food law alone is not adequate to provide food safety and health protection for the vulnerable and fragile part of the EU population. Many of our consumers have very special and unique nutritional needs.”
• IDACE members from 18 countries confirmed that they will do all they can to significantly amend this proposal in order to ensure the continuance of protection for the vulnerable areas of the population which they serve.

According to the IDACE, transferring parts of this legislation to the “inappropriate and embryonic” Nutritional Health Claims Regulation is not acceptable.