Sebastián Romero Melchor, Liesbeth Timmermans

European Food and Feed Law Review, Volume 5 (2010), Issue 5, Page 270 - 280

I. Introduction Changes in the epidemiological profile in Western countries during the last three decades have shown an increasing trend in the development of non-transmissible chronic diseases in the adult population. Nutrition-related lifestyles have been identified as one of the main risk factors for the onset of such diseases. The reaction of some countries1, pioneered by Japan2 in the early eighties, has focused on the role of nutrition for the prevention of such diseases, as the rising health care costs derived from their treatment is becoming unsustainable. Within this framework, health care professionals (hereinafter, “HCPs”) are increasingly informed about the nutritional and physiological benefits of some foodstuffs, both when reducing a risk factor of developing a disease or coadjuvating to such end with a positive health effect on the bodily functions. Doctors themselves, sometimes moved by their deontological obligations, sometimes by other considerations, will disseminate this information to their peers, the scientific community and the general public.

Sebastián Romero Melchor, Liesbeth Timmermans

European Food and Feed Law Review, Volume 5 (2010), Issue 1, Page 6

As the transition period for health claims as provided under Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) 1924/2006 (hereinafter, “HCR”)1 is coming to an end, food business operators are exploring ways of maintaining their claims on the market. In this regard, one of the avenues being contemplated is relying on Article 10(3) HCR on references to general, non-specific benefits of the nutrient or food for overall good health or health-related wellbeing. This is esp