Food Law News - UK - 1996

3 December 1996: “PARNUTS” FOODS - Draft Processed Cereal-Based Foods and Baby Foods Regulations

MAFF Letter, 3 December 1996

Draft "Processed Cereal-Based Foods and Baby Foods for Infants and Young Children Regulations 1997"

Following the adoption by the European Community of Commission Directive 96/5 on processed cereal-based foods and baby foods for infants and young children, the Ministry has now issued draft regulations to implement the Directive. Implementation has to be by 30 September 1997 with a transition until 31 March 1999.

The Draft Regulations contain:

• Definitions -
  • Baby foods: foods for particular nutritional use fulfilling the particular requirements of infants and young children in good health and intended for use by infants while they are being weaned, and by young children as a supplement to their diet or for their progressive adaptation to ordinary food other than processed cereal-based foods.
  • Processed cereal-based foods: foods for particular nutritional use with the categories in part 1 of Schedule 1 [see below] fulfilling the particular requirements of infants and young children in good health and intended for use by infants while they are being weaned, and by young children as a supplement to their diet or for their progressive adaptation to ordinary food.
  • Other definitions are as in the Directive - this will include “infants” as being children under the age of 12 months and "young children" as being aged between 1 and 3 years
• Exemptions: The Regulations do not apply to any food which is a milk intended for young children
• Labelling: The Regulations specify the requirement for labelling of processed cereal-based food and baby food
• Manufacture and composition: No person shall manufacture any processed cereal-based food or baby food:
  • from any ingredient other than one whose suitability for particular nutritional use by infants and young children has been established by generally accepted scientific data;
  • which does not comply with the compositional requirements specified in the schedules;
  • which contains any added nutritional substance other than a nutritional substance listed in Schedule 4;
  • which contains any substance in such quantity as to endanger the health of infants or young children.
• Transitional Defence - It is a defence to prove that an act contrary to the requirements of the Regulations was committed before 31 March 1999.

There are 5 Schedules relating to composition:

• Schedule 1 relates to cereal-based foods for infants and young children. It includes the categories of such foods:
  • simple cereals which are or have to be reconstituted with milk or other appropriate nutritious liquids.
  • cereals with an added high protein food which are or have to be reconstituted with water or other protein-free liquid.
  • pastas which are to be used after cooking in boiling water or other appropriate liquids.
  • rusks and biscuits which are to be used either directly or after pulverisation with the addition of water or other suitable liquids.

  It also includes the essential composition of the foods relating to cereal content, protein, carbohydrates, fat, minerals and vitamins

• Schedule 2 provides the essential composition of Baby Foods relating to protein, fat, sodium and vitamins
• Schedule 3 provides reference data on the amino acid of casein (to be used in conjunction with Schedule 1)
• Schedule 4 lists nutritional substances permitted for addition to the controlled foods
• Schedule 5 provides "Reference values for nutrition labelling for food intended for infants and young children" and relates to vitamins and minerals

The Ministry has asked for comments by 28 February 1997.