Jost Sonja, Herzig Christian, Birringer Marc
Center for Sustainable Food Systems, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Senckenbergstrasse 3, 35390 Giessen, Germany.
Department of Nutritional, Food and Consumer Sciences, Fulda University of Applied Sciences, 36037 Fulda, Germany.
Foods. 2025 May 7;14(9):1651. doi: 10.3390/foods14091651.
The Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation (NHCR) has introduced a new regulatory perspective in food manufacturing, along with influencing consumers' perception of health-related food claims. Since 2006, a new standard of science-based claims has significantly impacted the European health food market. Over the years, numerous additional decisions have been made, and the ongoing process remains challenging for policymakers striving to harmonize consumer protection and trade within and outside the European Union (EU). This paper presents the current state of the NHCR's implementation, along with key events aimed at enhancing understanding among consumer organizations and food industry stakeholders, while also offering an insider perspective on relevant policy issues. Additionally, we address two pertinent policy issues to elucidate the associated challenges and opportunities, providing insights to support informed decision-making by policymakers. We use the nutrient profiles framework as a case study to illustrate considerations underpinning the objective of "consumer protection", while the "probiotics" market serves as an example for exploring the goal of "facilitation of trade". This historical perspective and reflection lead us to propose possible solutions for future food regulation.
《营养与健康声称法规》（NHCR）在食品制造领域引入了新的监管视角，同时也影响了消费者对与健康相关食品声称的认知。自2006年以来，基于科学的新声称标准对欧洲健康食品市场产生了重大影响。多年来，已经做出了许多额外的决定，对于努力在欧盟内部和外部协调消费者保护与贸易的政策制定者来说，目前的进程仍然具有挑战性。本文介绍了NHCR的实施现状，以及旨在增进消费者组织和食品行业利益相关者理解的关键事件，同时还提供了对相关政策问题的内部视角。此外，我们探讨了两个相关的政策问题，以阐明相关的挑战和机遇，为政策制定者做出明智决策提供支持。我们以营养成分概况框架为例，说明“消费者保护”目标背后的考量因素，而“益生菌”市场则作为探索“促进贸易”目标的一个例子。这种历史视角和反思促使我们为未来的食品监管提出可能的解决方案。
