The Food Law Group organised an interesting and informative event on the legislative changes, and their implications, surrounding the repeal of the Directive on foods for particular nutritional uses (PARNUTS) and the application of the new Regulation on Foods for Special Groups (FSG).
Following a welcome and introduction by David Faires, Chair of the Food Law Steering Group, Noel Griffin, Department of Health, started the event with an overview of the changes implemented by the new FSG Regulation and an explanation of the associated enforcement controls.
Four categories of food, once classed as PARNUTS products, are now considered under the new law to be standard foods, controlled by general food law, and these were considered in the subsequent presentations.
Sam Jennings, Berry Ottaway & Associates, provided a summary of some of the main implications of the PARNUTS to FSG changes on meal replacements for weight control, which are designed to replace one or two meals a day.
Suzane Leser, European Specialist Sport Nutrition Alliance, followed with an introduction to the category of sports foods and how the category has developed and expanded over the years under PARNUTS, resulting in it being declared as not being within the scope of FSG.
Naomi Johnson, British Specialist Nutrition Association, gave an update on the implications of the PARNUTS to FSG move on follow-on formulae for young children (‘toddler milks’). As with meal replacements and sports foods, there are still unresolved issued under discussion with the EU Commission and Member States, over six months after application of the FSG Regulation on 20th July 2016.
The final presentation was given by Ned Mazhar, Food Standards Agency, who explained the intricacies of gluten labelling under the new legislative framework.
David Faires led the concluding Q&A session, and the event ended with a networking lunch and the opportunity for participants to ask the speakers further questions.