Codex Adopts Key Provisions for Food Supplements

The Provisions on Gum Arabic, the definition and table of conditions of dietary fibre, and the use of eight food colours in food supplements, all in line with recommendations from the International Alliance of Dietary/Food Supplement Associations’ (IADSA).

06/07/09 The Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) this week adopted provisions for five key issues for the food supplement industry in line with provisions supported by IADSA.

The Codex decision-making body, which is meeting in Rome from 29 June till 4 July, adopted the Recommendations on the Scientific Substantiation of Health Claims, the Nutritional Risk Analysis Principles, the Provisions on Gum Arabic, the definition and table of conditions of dietary fibre, and the use of eight food colours in food supplements, all in line with recommendations from the International Alliance of Dietary/Food Supplement Associations’ (IADSA). These Codex provisions now become official Codex Standards and Guidelines.

The adopted Recommendations on the Scientific Substantiation of Health Claims now take into account the totality of the available relevant scientific data and weighing of the evidence for substantiating a health claim, rather than placing primary importance on human intervention trials.

IADSA also welcomed the adoption of the Nutritional Risk Analysis Principles, which it described as “a solid framework for the potential future application of the risk assessment method by Codex for the use of vitamins, minerals and other substances in food supplements”.

Gum Arabic was as a carrier at 10 mg/kg; and the definition and table of conditions of dietary fibre now distinguish three main categories of carbohydrate polymers, refer to monomeric units and leave the decision on whether to include carbohydrates with monomeric units from 3 to 9, to national authorities.

In addition, the CAC adopted the use of the following eight food colours in food supplements: Allura Red AC, Caramel Colour-Class IV, Carotenoids, Chlorophylls-Copper Complexes, Fast Green FCF, Grape Skin Extracts, Indigotine and Iron Oxides – a decision that IADSA said “will avoid potential confusion in many countries and unnecessary barriers to trade”.

IADSA Chairman Byron Johnson said: “We support the results of the work on these issues and support their adoption. The drafts finally agreed endorse a number of comments made by IADSA, and we welcome the progress that has been made.”