Representing the manufacturers of specialist nutrition products
The 'Infant and Dietetic Foods Association' (IDFA Ltd.) has changed its name to the 'British Specialist Nutrition Association Ltd.' (BSNA Ltd). As the pre-eminent dietetic Trade Association in this country, we continue to represent the manufacturers of specialist dietetic foods organised in the following key specialist sectors: sports foods, gluten-free foods, slimming foods, medical Foods, and foods for infants and young children. Over the past five years, however, the balance of our membership and our partnerships with linked organisations has evolved to have two important elements: infant and young children nutrition on one side and adult specialist nutrition on the other. Because of this change in membership and emphasis we have chosen a new name for our organisation which more accurately reflects these developments.
The first reading of the Food Information to Consumers proposal has been postponed. The aim of the Food Information to Consumers proposal is to improve the legibility of food labels and to include key nutritional information on the front of packs to help consumers make informed choices for a healthy balanced diet. The proposal will bring EU rules on general and nutrition labelling together into a single regulation which will simplify and consolidate existing labelling legislation, it will replace the Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs and Council Directive 90/496/EEC on nutrition labelling for foodstuffs. Eventually the regulation will be applicable in all Member States, and replace current UK law. The proposal will be discussed by co-decision in which the European Parliament and the European Council, in liaison with the European Commission, debate and agree the legislation. The first reading of the Food Information to Consumers proposal has been postponed to the 14-17 June 2010 session of the European Parliament.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) opinion on Bisphenol A (BPA) has been postponed until September 2010 (initially it was expected at the end of May). The CEP Panel did not manage to finalise and adopt a full opinion on BPA due to the high number of publications to review. In the meantime the EFSA CEP Panel provided the following information:in a letter to the European Commission, EFSA has indicated that the Panel, in its deliberations to date, would maintain the Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) for BPA at 0.05 mg/kg bw per day. The Panel has also considered the Stump study, which was the scientific basis on which Denmark banned BPA in materials in contact with food for children aged 0-3 years. The Panel has concluded that the study does not provide evidence of BPA affecting neurobehavioural endpoints included in the study design and would therefore not lead the Panel to consider changing the TDI for BPA. The Panel ruled out the possibility of a low dose effect on learning ability as expressed in the Danish DTU Food Institute risk assessment.
A study conduced by the University of Coventry's Department of Bio-molecular Study and Sports Science has shown potential benefits of caffeine consumption for those involved in endurance events such as long-distance runners.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published its Annual Report on Pesticide Residues, which provides an overview of pesticide residues in food in the European Union during 2008.