The protection of European consumers from the false or misleading scientific and nutritional claims of food manufacturers took a step forward with the recent opinions of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). As a risk assessment agency, the EFSA recently assessed and rejected a vast number of food claim forcing the withdrawal of many claims from leading manufacturers. Focusing on the functional food sector, consumer protection issues, and market impacts, this article looks into the role of the EFSA and examines the rejection of claims based on bad and misleading science and outlines how the EFSA map claims and distinguishes between the good and bad scientific methods.
Alliance for Natural Health. (2009). Neutering our freedom of speech: EFSA health claims opinions. Retrieved from http://www.anh-europe.org/news/neutering-our-freedom-of-speechefsa-health-claims-opinions
2.
Arvanitoyannis, I., & Van Houwelingen-Koukaliaroglou, M. (2005). Functional foods: A survey of health claims, pros and cons, and current legislation. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 45, 385-404.
3.
Ashwell, M. ( 2001). Functional foods: A simple scheme for establishing the scientific basis for all claims. Public Health Nutrition, 4, 859-862.
4.
Asp, N., & Bryngelsson, S. (2008). Health claims in Europe: New legislation and PASSCLAIM for substantiation. Journal of Nutrition, 138, 1210-1215.
5.
Bradburn, R. ( 2001). Understanding business ethics. London , England. Thomson.
6.
British Nutrition Foundation. (2004). Functional foods. Retrieved from http://www.nutrition.org.uk/nutritionscience/foodfacts/functional-foods
7.
Buonanno, L. ( 2003). Politics versus science: Apportioning competency in the European Food Safety Authority and the European Commission. Retrieved from http://www.buffalostate.edu/politicalscience/documents/buonannofoodsafetyworkshop.pdf
8.
Clydesdale, F.M. ( 1996). What scientific data are necessary? Nutrition Review, 54, 195-198.
9.
Clydesdale, F.M. ( 1997). A proposal for the establishment of scientific criteria for health claims for functional foods. Nutritional Review , 55, 413-422.
10.
Davis, J. ( 1992). Ethics and environmental marketing. Journal of Business Ethics, 11, 81-87.
11.
Department of Health. (2004). Choosing health, choosing a better diet: A consultation on priorities for a food and health action plan. London, England: Author. Retrieved from http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4082161
12.
Department of Health. (2005). Choosing a better diet: A consultation on priorities for a food and health action plan. London, England: Author . Retrieved from http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4105356
13.
Economic and Social Research Council. (2009 ). The research ethics framework. Retrieved from http://www.esrc.ac.uk/about-esrc/information/research-ethics.aspx
14.
EFSA Journal. (2009a). Scientific opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to glucosamine alone or I combination with chondroitin sulphate and maintenance of joints (ID 1561, 1562, 1563, 1564, 1565) and reduction of inflammation (ID 1869) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No. 1924/20061. EFSA Journal , 7, 1264.
15.
EFSA Journal. (2009b). Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to taurine and protection of DNA, proteins and lipids from oxidative damage (ID 612, 1658, 1959), energy-yielding metabolism (ID 614), and delay in the onset of fatigue and enhancement of physical performance (ID 1660) pursuant to Article 13(1) Regulation (EC) No. 1924/20061 EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) . EFSA Journal, 7, 1260.
16.
EFSA Journal. (2009c). Scientific opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 (AGAL NM97/09514) and decreasing potentially pathogenic intestinal microorganisms (ID 908) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. EFSA Journal, 7, 1244.
17.
EFSA Journal. (2009d). Scientific substantiation of a health claim related to Natural Push-Up® tablets and capsules, and imitating the female breast-enhancement process pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. EFSA Journal , 1100, 1-9.
18.
EFSA Journal. (2009e). Water-soluble tomato concentrate (WSTC I and II) and platelet aggregation Scientific substantiation of a health claim related to water-soluble tomato concentrate (WSTC I and II) and platelet aggregation pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. EFSA Journal, 1101, 1-15.
19.
European Federation of Associations of Health Product Manufacturers. (2009). Comments in relation to the first batch of article 13.1 claims opinions. Retrieved from http://www.ehpm.org/GetArticle.aspx?articleid=77
20.
European Food Safety Authority. (2009). What we do. Retrieved from http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/aboutefsa/efsawhat.htm
21.
European Parliament. (2000). White paper on food safety. Brussels, Belgium: Commission of the European Communities.
22.
European Parliament. (2002). Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002 of the European Parliament and the Council laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety. Official Journal of the European Communities, L31/1 Retrieved from http://eur-lex.europa.eu/pri/en/oj/dat/2002/l_031/l_03120020201en00010024.pdf
23.
European Parliament. (2006). Regulation (EC) No. 1924/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the nutrition and health claims made on foods. Official Journal of the European Union. Retrieved from http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/Lex-UriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2007:012:0003:0018:EN:PDF
24.
Farnworth, E.R. ( 2008). The evidence to support health claims for probiotics . Journal of Nutrition, 138, 1250S-1254S.
25.
Food Ethics Council. (2005). Getting personal: Shifting responsibilities for dietary health. Brighton, England. Author. Retrieved from http://www.foodethicscouncil.org/node/110
26.
Gillespie, D., & Leffner, A. ( 1987). The Politics of Research Methodology on Claims-Making Activities: Social Science and Sexual Harrassment. Social Problems. 35(4), 490-501
27.
Hannigan, J. ( 1995). Environmental sociology. London, England. Routledge.
28.
Heller, L. ( 2009). EFSA says yes to third of first article 13.1 claims. Retrieved from http://www.nutraingredients.com/Regulation/EFSA-says-yes-to-third-of-first-Article-13.1-claims
29.
Hickman, M. ( 2009, October 2). Health claims of probiotics not accepted. The Independent.
30.
Ingredients Directory. (2005). The European Market for probiotics and prebiotics. Retrieved from http://ingredientsdirectory.com/reports/report2.pdf
31.
International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics. (2009, October 1). ISAPP responds to EFSA’s ruling on probiotic claims (Press statement). Retrieved from http://www.isapp.net/docs/ISAPP_responds_to_EFSA_oct09.pdf
32.
Jakku, E., David, B., & Roy, R. ( 2009). Constructing an environmental problem: claims-making in the Brisbane River dredging dispute. Australasian Journal of Environmental Management, 12, 25-35.
33.
Jones, E., Vermaas, R.H., McCartney, H., et al (2003). Flashbacks and post-traumatic stress disorder: the genesis of a 20th-century diagnosis. British Journal of Psychiatry, 182, 158 -163.
34.
Kärnä, J., Juslin, H., Ahoven, V., & Hansen, E. ( 2001). Green advertising: Greenwash or a true reflection of marketing strategy? Greener Management International, 33, 12-24.
35.
Katan, M.B. ( 2004). Health claims for functional foods. British Medical Journal, 328, 181-182.
36.
Kennedy, E.J., & Lawton, L. ( 1993). Ethics and services marketing. Journal of Business Ethics, 12, 785-795.
37.
Kim, W. ( 2003). Debunking the effects of taurine in Red Bull energy drink . Nutrition Bytes, 9, 1-6.
Kwak, N.S., & Jakes, D. ( 2001). Issues in the substantiation process of health claims . Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 41, 465-479.
40.
Langseth, L. ( 1996). Nutritional epidemiology: Possibilities and limitations (ILSI Europe Concise Monograph Series). Brussels, Belgium: ILSI Europe.
41.
Lustgarden, S. ( 1995). Will the FDA crack down on homeopathy? - Food and Drug Administration. Vegetarian Times, 1.
42.
MacDonald, C., & Whellams, M. ( 2007). Corporate decisions about labelling genetically modified foods. Journal of Business Ethics, 75, 181-189.
43.
Mitchell, V., & Papavissilliou, V. (1999). Marketing causes and implications of consumer confusion. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 8, 319-342.
44.
Nancarrow, C. ( 1998). Gaining competitive advantage from packaging and labelling in marketing communications. British Food Journal, 10, 110-120.
45.
Official Journal of the European Union. (2008 ). Regulation (EC) 353/2008-Establishing implementing rules for applications for authorisation of health claims as provided for in Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council . Retrieved from http://functionalfood.moeaidb.gov.tw/law/law_eu.pdf
46.
Richardson, D.P. ( 2005). The scientific substantiation of health claims with particular reference to the grading of evidence and consumer understanding. Food Science & Technology Bulletin, 2, 39-48.
47.
Richardson, D. ( 2009). Health claims on foods: Strength of the evidence and problems of proof. Food Science & Technology Bulletin: Functional Foods, 6(1), 1-3.
48.
Richardson, D., Binns, N.M., & Viner, P. ( 2007). Guidelines for an evidence-based review system for the scientific justification of diet and health relationships under Article 13 of the new European legislation on nutrition and health claims. Food Science & Technology Bulletin Functional Foods, 3(8), 83-97.
49.
Sandin, P. ( 2005). The precautionary principle and food safety. Journal für Verbraucherschutz und Lebensmittelsicherheit, 1, 2-4.
50.
Schmelter, L., & Healey, M. ( 2004). How does your label bring your product to the table? Comparative analysis of food labelling regulations between Germany and Australia as an investigation of the degree of harmonisation of food safety regulations . Paper presented at the ANZIBA Conference: Dynamism and Challenges to Internationalisation, Canberra, Australia.
51.
Silayoi, P., & Speece, M. ( 2004). Packaging and purchase decisions: A focus group study on the impact of involvement level and time pressure. British Food Journal, 106, 607-628.
52.
Starling, S. ( 2009a). ANH questions EFSA scientific approach. Retrieved from http://www.nutraingredients.com/Regulation/ANH-questions-EFSA-scientific-approach
53.
Starling, S. ( 2009c, October 7). Yoghurt group unfazed by mass probiotics rejection. Retrieved from http://www.nutraingredients.com/Regulation/Yoghurt-group-unfazed-by-mass-probiotics-rejection
54.
Starling, S. ( 2009d, October, 13). Red Bull: EFSA taurine rejection won’t affect energy claims. Retrieved from http://www.beveragedaily.com/On-your-radar/Energy-Drinks/Red-Bull-EFSAtaurine-rejection-won-t-affect-energy-claims
55.
Stewart, A. ( 2009). EFSA’s Article 13.1 opinions set a new bar for claims. Retrieved from http://www.npicenter.com/article/Industry/EFSA-s-Article-13-1-Opinions-Set-a-New-Bar-for-Claims.aspx
56.
Wandel, M. ( 1994). Understanding consumer concern about food-related health risks. British Food Journal, 96, 35-40.
57.
Yang, Y. ( 2008). Scientific substantiation of functional food claims in China. Journal of Nutrition, 138, 1199S-1205S.
