False labelling to be stamped out

FOOD producers who claim that their products have specific health benefits will have to prove them or drop them under EU legislation being prepared, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) warned yesterday.

The FSAI told producers that from January 2010, they will no longer be able to say a product has an effect on physical growth and development, weight loss, specific bodily functions or general wellbeing unless they have scientific evidence to back it up.

The move is designed to ensure consumers are not duped by misleading or exaggerated claims, following investigations that found some food products claiming health-giving properties had little or no proof of their apparent benefits.