Health claims comment extended
FOOD Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has extended to 31 March the period for comment on new proposals for a health claims standard that would allow disease risk reduction claims on food labelling.
Currently, nutrient content claims such as ‘this food is high in fibre’ are allowed on food labels as are some health maintenance claims such as ‘calcium is important for healthy bones and teeth’.
The only health claim allowed is about the benefit of consumption of folate by pregnant women to prevent neural tube defects in their babies.
Under the proposed standards, all claims must be substantiated with scientific evidence and in the case of high-level claims, these will be assessed by FSANZ before the product goes on the market.
Source: National Food Industry Strategy (NFIS) , Food Fast Facts : February, 2006
7-Feb-2006