NUTRITIONAL claims and HEALTH claims

The product label, in addition to reporting the mandatory information, can be used by the manufacturer to enhance its product by providing additional information that can help the consumer in choosing the products most in line with his needs.

Obviously, there is also a specific regulation for this type of element (EC Regulation 1924/2006) which must always be followed by anyone who intends to place this type of information on the label.

Have you ever noticed the words on the packages of the food products you buy as for example source of or without? Here are the nutritional indications!

Nutritional indication means " any indication that states, suggests or implies that a food has particular beneficial nutritional properties, due to the energy (caloric value) it provides, provides at a reduced or increased rate or does not provide; and/or to the nutritional or other substances it contains, contains in reduced or increased proportions or does not contain ” (Art. 2 Reg. 1924/2006).

However, the health indications that can be added to the label and defined as " any indication that states, suggests or implies the existence of a relationship between a food or one of its components and health " are very different (Art. 2 Reg. 1924/2006).

These indications, also called Claims, are applied on the packaging of food products and enhance or describe particular characteristics capable of arousing the interest of the final consumer.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is the commission responsible for authorizing the various health claims that are placed on labels. Therefore, after appropriate checks and provided that there is clear scientific evidence demonstrating the positive effect on health, only EFSA can authorize the use of health claims which must be among those included in the list of permitted indications according to the European regulation CE 1924 /2006.

We have therefore said that Claims can be:

• Nutritional, i.e. they can provide information relating to the presence or absence of certain substances in the food (fibre, proteins, fats, sugar etc.), for example in IoBoscoVivo Shiitake mushroom cream soups you will find the claims SOURCE OF FIBERS, SOURCE OF PROTEINS and SOURCE OF VITAMIN D, also present in our other products to demonstrate our attention to the production of organic foods with interesting nutritional properties!
• On health (health claims), i.e. indications that attribute to the product a function aimed at improving certain aspects of human health. Such as the claim we apply in our products: vitamin D contributes to the normal function of the immune system.

When we put a health claim on the label, the quantity of food necessary to obtain the indicated beneficial effect with the appropriate consumption method must never be missing, and a statement on the importance of a varied and balanced diet and a lifestyle healthy life.

FUN FACT: There are 7 different health claims for vitamin D, given that there isn't much space on the label we chose one: " Vitamin D contributes to the normal function of the immune system " because vitamin D has always been associated with bone function, while studies and knowledge on the role of this vitamin in the immune system are more recent, where it coordinates the activity of all its cells: both those involved in innate immunity and those of adaptive immunity. In our shiitake mushrooms you will also find Lentinan, with an immunomodulatory effect: a true "superfood" for our immune system! Discover them on our website https://ioboscovivo.com/ !

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