fooddrinkeurope guidelines on portion...

FoodDrinkEurope guidelines on portion sizes

Marta Baffigo Chair of the Diet Task Force, FoodDrinkEurope Director Global Public and Regulatory Affairs, Kellogg Company

09/02/2012

EU Platform on Diet, Physical Activity and Health – Portion Sizes

2EU Platform on Diet, Physical Activity and Health – Portion Sizes

AgendaAgenda


BackgroundBackground

“Information shall be expressed per 100 g or per 100 ml. In addition, this information may be given per serving as quantified on the label or per portion, provided that the number of portions contained in the package is stated.”

Current legislation – Directive 90/496/EEC:


BackgroundBackground

• The energy value and the amount of nutrients may be expressed per portion, in addition to per 100g/ml

• General conditions when food business operators wish to use per portion/consumption unit expression:

1. The portion/consumption unit is easily recognisable by the consumer;2. The portion or unit used is quantified on the label;3. The number of portions/units contained in the package is stated.

New legislation – Regulation 1169/2011:


FoodDrinkEurope Position on Portion SizesFoodDrinkEurope Position on Portion Sizes

• FoodDrinkEurope supports the provision of nutrition information per 100g/ml, providing a tool for comparison.

• However, most foods are not consumed in 100g/ml quantities. So, additional information is needed to help consumers understand the nutritional value of the amount of food/drink they actually consume.

• A portion is the amount of a given food or drink reasonably expected to be consumed by an individual in a single consumption occasion.

• Therefore, FoodDrinkEurope supports the provision of nutrition information per portion in addition to the information provided per 100g/ml


• Guideline Daily Amounts (GDA) were developed by FoodDrinkEurope (then CIAA) in 2005 as a commitment under the EU Platform

• GDAs are a voluntary nutrition labelling guide to how much energy and nutrients are present in a portion of a food or beverage and what each amount represents as a percentage of a person’s daily dietary guidelines

• Endorsed and implemented by an increasing amount of food companies, large and small alike

• Expression of reference intakes explicitly in EU legislation (Regulation 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers)

Guideline Daily Amounts: Per PortionGuideline Daily Amounts: Per Portion


Why work on Portion Communication?Why work on Portion Communication?

• Sector-wide portion sizes have been established by various sectors associations (cereals, soups, confectionary, meat products, snacks, ice cream, margarine, pasta and soft drinks)

• In order to ensure a consistent approach concerning portion sizes, in early 2010, FoodDrinkEurope (then CIAA) created an Expert Group on Portions to:

1. Establish Guiding Principles

2. To assess whether the sector rationales of portion sizes are consistent with the Guiding Principles


Essential Guiding Principles for Portion CommunicationEssential Guiding Principles for Portion Communication


Practical Communication GuidelinesPractical Communication Guidelines


FoodDrinkEurope Guidelines on Portion SizesFoodDrinkEurope Guidelines on Portion Sizes

Three specific portion ‘categories’ have been identified:


Category 1: Single Portion PackCategory 1: Single Portion Pack

If a pack is designed to be consumed in one single consumption occasion, the portion is the entire pack, even if the pack weight is greater than the reference portion.

Examples: Snack bar, pre-packed sandwich, meal-for-one.


Category 2: Multi Portion Pack – Recognisable UnitsCategory 2: Multi Portion Pack – Recognisable Units

The portion is equal to one individual pre-portioned unit only if this complies with all essential guiding principles.

If declaring one individual unit as a ‘portion’ does not comply with all guiding principles, then category 3 should be applied.

Examples: Sliced bread, sliced ham.


Category 3: Multi Portion Pack - OtherCategory 3: Multi Portion Pack - Other


Category 3: Multi Portion Pack - OtherCategory 3: Multi Portion Pack - Other

Pack proportion: where the product is designed to be consumed by a set number of people:

o Portion = total pack weight / # of people the product is designed to serve

• E.g. ‘For Two’: ‘Portion = ½ of this pack (xg)’

o Fractions should only be used up to ‘one eighth’ of a pack or food item.

Examples: Jam, family/share packs (e.g. crisps, cereals), some confectionery, family pizza, etc.

Reference portion: where judgment is required (rice, pasta, sauces...)

o Preferably use the term ‘typical’ (usage based on individual preferences)

• E.g. ‘a typical portion is 75g rice’

or


ConclusionsConclusions

• Portions help consumers understand the nutritional value of the amount of food/drink they actually consume

• Therefore, FoodDrinkEurope supports the provision of nutrition information per portion in addition to the information provided per 100g/ml

• In order to ensure a consistent approach, FoodDrinkEurope has proactively worked on EU industry-wide ‘best practice’ guidelines on portion sizes and continues to encourage sectors to comply with these guidelines


http://gda.ciaa.eu/custom_documents/brochures/CIAA_portions_sizes_2010.pdf

The Guidelines on Portion Sizes for purposes of Nutrition Labelling can be found on:



fooddrinkeurope guidelines on portion...

Documents