Vitafoods Europe 2024 will be held at the Palexpo in Geneva on May 14, 15 and 16 and also online from May 7. Every year, Vitafoods is where the nutraceutical industry comes together to create and showcase innovation, meet new partners and connect with business leaders in Europe.
The use of algae biomass in foods is a growing market in Europe. On February 2024,a list of more than 20 new algae species has been added to the Novel Food catalogue. When there is the evidence of a traditional use of algae in any EU Member State before 15 May 1997, their use as foods and food supplements is not considered as novel and is not subject to a long and costly pre-market approval procedure according to the Novel Food Regulation. A list of around 50 algae species considered as not novel is now available in the EU Novel Food catalogue.
The World Gastroenterology Organization (WGO) recently released an updated guideline document, aimed at helping gastroenterologists and other physicians understand the appropriate clinical applications of probiotics or prebiotics. The guideline was created with input from experts in gastroenterology, probiotics and prebiotics, with efforts co-led by experts from the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP). To create these guidelines, experts comprehensively evaluated the evidence from randomized, controlled trials for gastrointestinal conditions, including which specific prebiotic strain or substance showed a positive effect. The guidelines present a list of conditions for which there is positive evidence for the effectiveness of probiotics and/or prebiotics.
Since the beginning of 2023, it is possible to use the word probiotic on food supplements in France. Here follows a comparison with the situation in Italy and in Spain.
Under a new Regulation, lesser mealworm larvae enter the list of authorized novel foods.
Background: in the Guidance on the implementation of Regulation N° 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims: conclusions of the standing Committee on the food chain and animal health published in 2007, the probiotic term is considered as a health claim because it refers to the implied description or indication of a functionality on health.
On September 19th 2022, the DGCCRF published the results of its survey on nutrition and health claims on food supplements performed on internet market places on 2020. The DGCCRF makes the following observation, “regulations on Nutrition and health claims that are still too often overlooked”.
The conditions of use of the ingredient are now set by Regulation (EU) 2022/860.
The calculation model was published and presented to the Commission in December 2021.
Besides the presence of the common views listed in Part 1, it is also possible to identify certain elements that are specific to, and characteristic of, each country.
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