Health Claims

Australian Food Standards Code doesn't yet allow health claims i.e. that a food can cure/prevent disease; foods cannot currently be marketed like medicines or make therapeutic claims, though this is currently being reviewed. It is not allowed to use the word 'health' as part of or in conjunction with name of the food Total diet and lifestyle is important The use of an individual food may not lead to a reduction in your risk of disease - it's your total diet and lifestyle habits that really count. It is doubtful if health claims will contribute to improved public health, but there is an advantage for manufacturers Examples of products that may be breaching the code 1. Uncle Tobys Healthwise - 'targeted health' cereals; may mislead consumers that they treat medical complaints 2. Flora pro.active margarine -contains plant sterols which reduce amount of cholesterol absorbed by the body, reducing blood cholesterol by 10% whether or not you're on a low-fat low cholesterol diet. Plant sterols may reduce levels of other important substances in body (e.g. b-carotene); one needs to consume 25g/day to get effect which may encourage some to consume larger serves of margarine OR if added to a high fat diet may cause weight gain. To read a short article about margarines containing plant sterols visit the Healthy Eating Club web site. Controlling Health Claims ?Need stringent approval process for foods that claim to deliver benefits beyond nutrition ?Product tested for safety and effectiveness in same way as drugs ?Should label state amount of active ingredient added to the food and amount required to provide claimed benefit ?Need monitoring in the marketplace - without proper enforcement, any labelling regulations will have little impact

 

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