CHAPTER IIADDITION OF VITAMINS AND MINERALS

Article 3Requirements for the addition of vitamins and minerals

1.

Only vitamins and/or minerals listed in Annex I, in the forms listed in Annex II, may be added to foods, subject to the rules laid down in this Regulation.

2.

Vitamins and minerals in a form that is bio-available to the human body may be added to foods, whether or not they are usually contained therein, in order to take into account, in particular:

(a)

a deficiency of one or more vitamins and/or minerals in the population or specific population groups that can be demonstrated by clinical or sub-clinical evidence of deficiency or indicated by estimated low levels of intake of nutrients; or

(b)

the potential to improve the nutritional status of the population or specific population groups and/or correct possible deficiencies in dietary intakes of vitamins or minerals due to changes in dietary habits; or

(c)

evolving generally acceptable scientific knowledge on the role of vitamins and minerals in nutrition and consequent effects on health.

F13.

F2The appropriate authority may by regulations, after taking into account the opinion of an expert committee, specify modifications to the lists referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article.

F3...

Prior to making F4regulations under this paragraph, the appropriate authority shall carry out consultations with interested parties, in particular food business operators and consumer groups.

Article 4Restrictions on the addition of vitamins and minerals

Vitamins and minerals may not be added to:

  1. (a)

    unprocessed foodstuffs, including, but not limited to, fruit, vegetables, meat, poultry and fish;

  2. (b)

    beverages containing more than 1,2 % by volume of alcohol, except and by way of derogation from Article 3(2), to products:

    1. (i)

      F5referred to in paragraph B3 of Annex VIII to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013; and

    2. (ii)

      which were marketed prior to the adoption of this Regulation; F6...

    3. (iii)

      F7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .,

    and provided that no nutrition or health claim is made.

F8The appropriate authority may by regulations determine the additional foods or categories of foods to which particular vitamins and minerals may not be added, in the light of scientific evidence and taking into account their nutritional value.

Article 5Purity criteria

F11.

F9The appropriate authority may by regulations determine the purity criteria for vitamin formulations and mineral substances listed in Annex II F10..., except where they apply pursuant to paragraph 2 of this Article.

2.

Purity criteria for vitamin formulations and mineral substances listed in Annex II, specified by F11other relevant enactments for their use in the manufacture of foodstuffs for purposes other than those covered by this Regulation, shall apply.

3.

For those vitamin formulations and mineral substances listed in Annex II for which purity criteria are not specified by F12other relevant enactments, and until F13the appropriate authority makes regulations under paragraph 1, generally acceptable purity criteria recommended by international bodies shall be applicable F14....

Article 6Conditions for the addition of vitamins and minerals

F11.

When a vitamin or a mineral is added to foods, the total amount of the vitamin or mineral present, for whatever purpose, in the food as sold shall not exceed maximum amounts. Measures setting that amount F15may be adopted by regulations made by the appropriate authority. For concentrated and dehydrated products, the maximum amounts set shall be those present in the foods when prepared for consumption according to the manufacturer's instructions.

F12.

F16The appropriate authority may by regulations specify conditions restricting or prohibiting the addition of a specific vitamin or mineral to a food or a category of foods F17....

3.

The maximum amounts referred to in paragraph 1 and the conditions referred to in paragraph 2 shall be set taking into account:

(a)

upper safe levels of vitamins and minerals established by scientific risk assessment based on generally acceptable scientific data, taking into account, as appropriate, the varying degrees of sensitivity of different groups of consumers; and

(b)

intakes of vitamins and minerals from other dietary sources.

4.

When the maximum amounts referred to in paragraph 1 and the conditions referred to in paragraph 2 are set, due account shall also be taken of reference intakes of vitamins and minerals for the population.

5.

When the maximum amounts referred to in paragraph 1 and the conditions referred to in paragraph 2 are set for vitamins and minerals whose reference intakes for the population are close to the upper safe levels, the following shall also be taken into account, as necessary:

(a)

the contribution of individual products to the overall diet of the population in general or of sub-groups of the population;

(b)

the nutrient profile of the product established as provided for by Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.

F16.

The addition of a vitamin or a mineral to a food shall result in the presence of that vitamin or mineral in the food in at least a significant amount where this is defined according to the F18Annex XIII to Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011. Measures determining the minimum amounts, including any lower amounts, by derogation from the significant amounts mentioned above, for specific foods or categories of foods F19may be adopted by regulations made by the appropriate authority.

Article 7Labelling, presentation and advertising

F11.

The labelling, presentation and advertising of foods to which vitamins and minerals have been added shall not include any mention stating or implying that a balanced and varied diet cannot provide appropriate quantities of nutrients. Where appropriate, a derogation concerning a specific nutrient F20may be adopted by regulations made by the appropriate authority.

2.

The labelling, presentation and advertising of foods to which vitamins and minerals have been added shall not mislead or deceive the consumer as to the nutritional merit of a food that may result from the addition of these nutrients.

F213.

Nutrition labelling of products to which vitamins and minerals have been added and which are covered by this Regulation shall be compulsory. The information to be provided shall consist of that specified in Article 30(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011 on the provision of food information to consumers 10 and of the total amounts present of the vitamins and minerals when added to the food.

4.

The labelling of products to which vitamins and minerals have been added may bear a statement indicating such addition under the conditions laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.

5.

This Article shall apply without prejudice to other provisions of food law applicable to specified categories of foods.

6.

Rules for implementing this Article may be specified in F22regulations made by the appropriate authority.