Objectives
Dietary surveys across Europe indicate that several subgroups of the population do not reach the Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs) for all micronutrients. Together with improved nutrition education, optimal food processing and increased awareness of the importance of a healthy diet, the addition of nutrients to foods can be a valuable route to optimal micronutrient intakes with potential benefits to health.
The European Union adopted regulations on harmonising food supplements (2002) and on the addition of nutrients to foods in Europe (2006). These regulations require the European Commission to set maximum levels of vitamins and minerals, where appropriate, for addition to foods and food supplements in consultation with Member State experts.
Through the collection of existing intake data across Europe the Expert Group aims to (i) compare nutrient intake patterns; (ii) discuss use and misuse of Upper Levels and (iii) provide a sound scientific basis for setting maximum levels.
Activities
Patterns of Intake of Fortified Foods and Supplements
The Expert Group systematically assembles and analyses existing national intake data. Databases in Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, The Netherlands, Spain and the UK will be reviewed. This will enable meaningful comparison of intakes between European countries.
The results of the Expert Group’s work will be published either in the ILSI Europe Report Series or in a scientific journal.
Workshop on The Micronutrient Landscape of Europe
The workshop will continue the work of the Expert Group on Patterns of Intake of Fortified Foods and Supplements. It will go beyond the considerations of maximum levels to draw further results from the extensive database built by the Expert Group.
The objectives of the workshop are to:
- Gain insight into nutrient intake patterns (base diet, fortified foods, supplements) across Europe and countries specificities, identify data gaps, address the comparability of methodology to measure intakes of micronutrients;
- Discuss the use and misuse of Daily Recommended Values (DRVs) (particularly Upper Levels) in risk analysis;
- Present the results of the Expert Group on Intake Patterns from supplements, fortified foods and base diet, to a wider audience.
A summary report of the workshop will be published in the ILSI Europe Report Series.
Workshop on Safe Addition of Micronutrients to Foods
The task force held a two-day workshop in September 2005 to discuss basic concepts like Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) and Upper Levels (ULs), and use and misuse of these concepts. Two model approaches developed by the task force were presented. The applicability of the model for safe addition of vitamins and minerals to foods (Flynn et al., 2003) was discussed in working groups. The paper ‘Risk-benefit analysis of micronutrients’ (Renwick et al., 2004) was presented and explained with some practical examples.
The summary report of the workshop will be published in the ILSI Europe Report Series.
Risk-benefit Analysis of Micronutrients
The task force published an article entitled ‘Risk-benefit Analysis of Micronutrients’ (Renwick et al., 2004, Food and Chemical Toxicology, 42, 1903-1922). In order to communicate this risk-benefit model in a way that is accessible to a nutritionist audience, a new article was prepared with selenium as a practical example. The article was published as Renwick et al., 2008, European Journal of Nutrition;47:17-25.
Task Force Collaborators:
The scientists below participate in the task force and expert groups:
Experts from supporting member companies
Mr. Reg Fletcher, Kellogg (IE)
Dr. Mike Knowles, Coca-Cola European Union Group (BE)
Dr. Bernd Haber, BASF (DE)
Dr. Catherine Mignot, DSM (CH)
Dr. Karlheinz Niederreiter, Redbull (AT)
Dr. Irène Perrin, Nestlé (CH)
Dr. Ina Schoppe, Kraft Foods (DE)
Dr. Geoff Thompson, Groupe Danone (FR)
Dr. Hans van Amelsvoort ,Unilever (NL)
Dr. Carel Wreesmann, Akzo Nobel Functional Chemicals (NL)
Experts from public institutes
Dr. Fabio D’Atri, European Commission – DG SANCO (BE) - Observer
Prof. Albert Flynn, University College of Cork (IE)
Dr. Juliane Kleiner European, Food Safety Authority – EFSA (IT) - Observer
Dr. Tero Hirvonen, National Public Health Institute - KTL (FI)
Dr. Gert Mensink, Robert Koch Institute (DE)
Dr. Marga Ocké, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment - RIVM (NL)
Prof. Lluís Serra-Majem, University of Barcelona (ES)
Dr. Katarzyna Stoś, National Food and Nutrition Institute (PL)
Prof. Lucjan Szponar, National Food and Nutrition Institute (PL)
Dr. Inge Tetens, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark (DK)
Dr. Aida Turrini, National Institute of Research (IT)
Publications:
A.G. Renwick, L.O. Dragsted, R.J. Fletcher et al. Minimising the Population Risk of Micronutrient Deficiency and Over-consumption: A New Approach Using Selenium as an Example. European Journal of Nutrition 2008;47(1):17-25.
A.G. Renwick, A. Flynn, R.J. Fletcher et al. Risk-Benefit Analysis of Micronutrients. Food and Chemical Toxicology 2004;42(12):1903-1922.
A. Flynn, O. Moreiras et al. Vitamins and Minerals: A Model for Safe Addition to Foods. European Journal of Nutrition 2003;42(2):118-130.
J.J. Strain, D. barclay and J. Lambert. Addition of Nutrients to Food: Nutritional and Safety Considerations - Moving to a Scientific Consensus. ILSI Europe Report Series 1998:1-24.
For more information please contact info@ilsieurope.be.