Controls on food supplements in Member States : overview report

This report provides an overview of the outcome of a series of fact finding missions carried out by the Food and Veterinary Office in five Member States (MSs) of the European Union (EU) between January 2013 and June 2014. The series took place against the backdrop of a growing trade in food supplements in the EU, especially via the internet, and an increasing number of RASFF notifications. This demonstrates that these products can be a real risk to food safety. The EU General Food Law applies to Food Supplements and FBOs have to ensure that their products are safe. Notification requirements are in place in most Member States and the practical implementation of these arrangements differs between Member States. While the Commission report of 2008 concluded that it is not feasible to harmonise the use of "other substances" in FSs, some MS point out that the lack of approved harmonised lists of botanicals and maximum levels for the most risky vitamins and minerals means that the safety criteria are not transparent to traders, inspectors and consumers. Furthermore, different national provisions can be an obstacle to intra-EU trade. A number of Member States have taken initiatives to address issues such as assessment of botanicals and the control of internet sales. Such examples of good practice could provide the basis for a discussion with Member States on practical steps which could be taken in order to improve the effectiveness of controls on food supplements.