CLICK HERE for the new DELEGATED ACTS
Click Here for BMJ article. bmj.i553.full
PRESS RELEASE
European Parliament votes for big reductions in sugar in baby foods and prohibitions on labelling at too early an age.
20th January 2016
European Parliament, Strasbourg
The European Parliament today voted today – 393 votes in favour, 305 votes against – to reject draft EU rules on baby food, which would have allowed baby foods to contain high levels of sugar and products to be labelled for use from 4 months of age. The European Commission (the EU’s civil service) now has to bring the regulations into line with the sugar recommendations from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Health Assembly’s requirement that baby foods are not marketed for use before 6 months of age (WHA) and resubmit them (1). CLICK HERE for the motion adopted.
Commenting after the vote, UK Green MEP Keith Taylor, who was behind the motion to reject the rules and call for redrafting, said:
“The European Parliament has today voted to put the health of babies and children first. The health risks associated with excessive sugar consumption are now widely accepted… The introduction of such high levels of sugar to foods – especially so early – is likely to contribute to the rising levels of childhood obesity and may affect the developing taste preferences of children.“
Patti Rundall, OBE, Policy Director of Baby Milk Action, IBFAN UK also commented: “We are delighted with this vote. We’ve been calling on the EU Commission to do something about sugar levels since 2006 – when the EU and the US blocked a proposal from Thailand to reduce sugar levels in the Codex global standard on baby foods. It is outrageous that no attention has been paid to this issue that has contributed so much to rising levels of obesity.
“On the labelling issue its worth remembering too that the 1994 World Health Assembly Resolution (WHA 47.5) called for appropriate complementary feeding of babies to be “fostered from the age of about six months.” The baby food industry has fought this recommendation tooth and nail ever since, and has targeted mothers with claims that their products are the “ healthy choice.” The 4-6 month window is worth more to companies than just the foods sold in that period. Baby foods are the fastest growing food and beverage segment – growing 7.8% a year.
“The aim of companies is hook babies onto soft sugary products so that processed foods become the norm. If you wait until the baby is developmentally ready – normally around 6 months – they will reach out and join in with family foods that are much less processed – and they will be all the healthier for it! So this is certainly a very good day for child health and the decision will have resounding impact globally.”
Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended to six months and only infant formula is needed for this period if babies are not breastfed (see UK Start for Life Guide to Introducing Solid Foods). Too early promotion of complementary foods undermines this recommendation. A baby eating liquidised Grandpa’s Sunday Lunch from Cow & Gate (pictured below), for example, will be unable to discern the separate flavours and associate them with the colours, shapes and textures of natural foods.
Background to the Delegated Acts
(CLICK HERE for Blog CLICK HERE for Press release )
(1) WHO EURO comment on sugar in baby foods
(2) The delegated regulation proposed by the European Commission would have allowed baby foods to provide 30% of their energy from sugar (7.5g sugar/100kcal, which is equivalent to 30kcal from sugar in 100kcal energy). The WHO recommends 5% as a health level http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs394/en/.
The European Parliament’s vote means the regulation is rejected and includes the following key recommendations:
FULL TEXT of the Resolution that was passed today.
Para 2:Considers that the delegated regulation does not contain sufficient measures to protect infants and young children against obesity and that the allowed maximum sugar level should be substantially lowered in line with WHO recommendations;
Para 7: Calls on the Commission to bring forward a new delegated act that takes into consideration the findings of EFSA’s review of the compositional requirements of processed cereal-based food, and scientific evidence on the effects of added sugar and the early introduction of processed foods in relation to optimal infant and young child feeding recommendations;
Para 4 …labelling and marketing of processed baby foods should make it clear that these products are not adequate for use by infants of less than six months of age and should not undermine the six-month exclusive breastfeeding recommendation; considers, therefore, that the labelling and marketing should be revised in line with WHA recommendations for foods for infants and young children;
Voting list 20.1.16 Food
CLICK HERE for the motion adopted.
Only infant formula is needed for the first 6 months if not breastfeeding (see UK Start for Life Guide to Introducing Solid Foods).
CLICK HERE for Nutraingredients article By Niamh Michail+, 20-Jan-2016
European Parliament backs objection to sugary baby food
http://www.foodnavigator.com/Policy/European-Parliament-backs-objection-to-sugary-baby-food
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Omg this is such good news!! FINALLY! I’ve been waiting for this for years and years now!! 😀
Excelente decisión y aprobación, deuda pendiente con la infancia. ahora debemos hacer seguimiento a esta medida y que se convierta en un ejemplo a seguir en los demás países del mundo.
This is a great campaign – my sister and I have a baby led weaning website http://www.minimunchclub.com and recently reviewed the sugar smart app – were you aware that last Friday Public Health England pulled all baby foods off the sugar smart app as parents were shocked to find the levels of sugar they were giving their children. PHE are saying there is confusion over natural and processed sugar but experts say they’re the same thing. The sunday times reported on it 14.2.16 and actually contacted us for our thoughts on the matter. I see above you state this is a rapidly growing market. Surely healthy babies are more likely to become healthy children and adults?
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