Invitation to seminar on health claims

Nutrition and dietary habits Food quality Food technology
The National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, and EFSA, the European Food Safety Authority, invite you to a seminar on health claims being held on 26 June 2012, 9 am - 12.30 pm The seminar will focus on the ins and outs of the work on health claims for foodstuffs and dietary supplements in the EU and Denmark – and the parties, expectations and challenges involved.

The principle underlying the EU legislation is to ensure free movement of foodstuffs and to protect consumers. Since 2006, this has been realised through the Regulation on health claims by ensuring that claims are scientifically substantiated.

Since 2008 EFSA's Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies has assessed scientific documentation for a total of 2,758 food-related health claims. A health claim is any claim that asserts or gives the impression that there is a link between consuming a foodstuff or an ingredient in a foodstuff and its effect on health.

What role does EFSA play in the work on health claims in the EU? What has the process been – and how do things stand? On what basis are specific health claim applications approved and rejected?  How is technological research continuing to produce new possibilities for giving food new properties for which health claims might be made? How can food companies and consumers use health claims and what are their expectations? What challenges do the Danish authorities encounter and foresee in implementation of the EU regulations on health claims?

These are some of the questions that the seminar on health claims will try to answer. The seminar aims to provide an understanding of the work on health claims in the EU and Denmark – and the parties, expectations and challenges involved. It therefore includes presentations by both researchers from the National Food Institute and representatives of companies, authorities and consumers. The seminar will be conducted in English.

The National Food Institute and EFSA are holding the seminar to mark EFSA's 10th anniversary. The National Food Institute is EFSA's cooperation centre in Denmark and Director of Institute Jørgen Schlundt is the Danish representative on EFSA's Advisory Forum. EFSA is holding an Advisory Forum meeting in Copenhagen on 27-28 June 2012.

Programme

Welcome
Jørgen Schlundt, Director of the National Food Institute

EFSA's role and work with regard to health claims
Ariane Titz, Officer, EFSA

Assessing health claims for foodstuffs
Professor Inge Tetens, the National Food Institute (member of EFSA's Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies)

New technological possibilities
Professor Charlotte Jacobsen, the National Food Institute

Health claims and the immune-stimulating effects of probiotics
Professor Hanne Frøkiær, Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen

The importance of health claims for the food industry
Ole Linnet, Food Director, Confederation of Danish Industry

The importance of health claims for consumers
Camilla Udsen, Senior Food Adviser, Danish Consumer Council

The challenges of implementing the Regulation on nutrition and health claims in Denmark
Jens Therkel Jensen, Deputy Head of Division, Danish Veterinary and Food Administration

Time

Tuesday, 26 June 2012, 9 am - 12.30 pm
Join us for breakfast from 8.30 am and a sandwich for lunch after the seminar.

Venue
DGI-byen

CPH Conference

See attached map.

Enrolment Attendance at the seminar is free. Owing to the limited number of places available, please enrol on the institute website www.food.dtu.dk no later than Friday, 22 June 2012.