Introduction

Despite the absence of any scientific evidence to support the view, some nutritionists and others argue that fortified foods should be subject to regulatory restrictions. The CIAA opposes any such initiative on a number of grounds: the very absence of any scientific or social justification, the restriction on consumer choice, and the negative impact on product innovation in a field that contributes directly to balanced nutrition and human health.

Fortification of foodstuffs is particularly important at a time when lifestyles are changing, with a series of consequences: less time for meal preparation, inability to eat balanced meals on a regular basis, more eating "on the go". A further factor contributing to inadequate nutrition is reduction of food intake due to characteristics such as sedentariness, lack of exercise, or age.

Diet and Health

The positive influence of diet on health is based on the consumption, over time, of a wide variety of foods that are consumed in moderation and that provide a balance of nutrients. However modification of dietary habits - due to changing lifestyles and changes in food intake patterns - increases the risk of micronutrient deficiencies and sub-optimal nutrient intakes. In these circumstances, the addition of nutrients to a wide range of food products can contribute to the dietary balance of the population.

It is sometimes claimed that absence of regulations actually encourages the practice of fortification by the food industry, leading to market uniformity and, thereby, a restriction on consumer choice. This argument, which, to begin with, disregards the need to improve health standards, also fails to acknowledge both market dynamics and consumer demand. Moreover it ignores the extent and complexity of factors influencing food choice, and the relative role of nutrition and nutritional attributes within this context. Given the very structure and diversity of a typical diet, it is self-evident that fortified foods will never become the major element, let alone the basis, of a daily diet.

Consumer research clearly shows that what constitutes a "healthy food" in the consumer's mind is based on a broad definition, encompassing many characteristics, including nutritional composition. A recent Pan-European study conducted among nearly 12,000 European households from 15 countries (Socioscan/Headway Marketing, 1997) asked consumers to identify the characteristics of "healthy" foods.

Respondents spontaneously mentioned not only nutrients such as vitamins, fibre and protein, but also such characteristics as "freshness" and "natural/not processed". Although micronutrient content is a salient characteristic of healthy foods in the minds of consumers, this research confirms that other factors also play a key role in the image of "healthy foods" and in guiding food choice.

In fact, market statistics serve as strong testimony that liberal regulations on fortification do not lead to the indiscriminate use of fortified foods: on the contrary, the availability of fortified foods increases the consumer's choice and constitutes a valuable contribution to the diet. In countries such as the UK and Germany, where legislation regarding the addition of nutrients to foods is relatively liberal, fortified foods represented in 1992 only 3.5% to 5% respectively of total food industry turnover. Market estimations for 1998 indicates that the prevalence of fortified foodstuffs remains stable, representing only 1 to 6% of the total European market.

Breakfast cereals is often held up as an example of the excessive use of fortification. But cereals is untypical of the European fortified foods market, being the only food sector where many products are fortified with vitamin and minerals. Even then, not all cereal brands are fortified and consumers can also select from other breakfast options such as non-fortified grain-based foods like bread, rusks, rolls, muffins, etc.

Technological Constraints

Although Western food and drink companies have been amongst the biggest investors in Central and Eastern Europe, modernisation of the sector is far from complete. The European Commission should ensure that no steps are taken to discourage this flow of inward investment in the run up to membership.

Nutrition Education

The argument that fortification is confusing to consumers, particularly with respect to products that do not naturally contain the nutrients in question, can be largely discounted because of existing labelling requirements. However, there is a real need for nutrition education. To support the role played by food fortification in helping consumers achieve a balanced diet, governments and public health institutions should develop nutrition education programmes aimed at guiding consumers in choices that contribute to a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Conclusion

Food fortification is safe and can play an important role, together with nutrition education, in helping consumers meet their dietary requirements. There is no scientific proof to suggest that fortified foodstuffs negatively impact on overall nutritional balance. On the contrary, research has shown that fortified foodstuffs make a positive contribution to diet.

In 1998, the International Life Science Institute (ILSI) stated that "the addition of nutrients to foods can provide an effective and safe tool to improve actual micronutrient intake and status by restoring amounts lost, by providing key nutrients in foods that replace traditional products, and by extending the range of foods rich in relevant micronutrients." Similarly the World Bank has commented that "the control of vitamin and mineral deficiencies is one of the most extraordinary development-related scientific advances of recent years."

There is no public health reason for a selective policy restricting the addition of nutrients to specific food categories. Moreover, such a policy would deny consumers the right to choose from a wide variety of foods that include both those that are fortified and those that are not. Any potential restrictions should, therefore, be defined on a nutrient-by-nutrient basis and should be fully justified on public health grounds.

This summary is an extract of the CIAA document MIN/234/99E Final