09.01.09
In line with positions offered by the International Alliance of Dietary/Food Supplement Associations (IADSA), Brussels, Belgium, the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) has adopted five new official standards and guidelines. The Codex decision-making body adopted the Recommendations on the Scientific Substantiation of Health Claims, the Nutritional Risk Analysis Principles, the Provisions on Gum Arabic, the definition and table of conditions of dietary fiber, and the use of eight food colors in food supplements. The Recommendations on the Scientific Substantiation of Health Claims now account for the totality of relevant scientific data and weigh evidence for substantiating a health claim, rather than placing primary importance on human intervention trials. IADSA described the Nutritional Risk Analysis Principles as “a solid framework for the potential future application of the risk assessment method by Codex for the use of vitamins, minerals and other substances in food supplements.” Gum Arabic was adopted as a carrier at 10 mg/kg; and the definition and table of conditions of dietary fiber now distinguish three main categories of carbohydrate polymers, refer to monomeric units and leave the decision on whether to include carbohydrates with monomeric units from 3 to 9, to national authorities. In addition, the CAC adopted the use of the following food colors in food supplements: allura red AC, caramel color-class IV, carotenoids, chlorophylls-copper complexes, fast green FCF, grape skin extracts, indigotine and iron oxides.