Current legislations in nutrition and issues requiring global harmonisation

Abstract

This article describes an overview of the current trends on international regulations on nutrition as well as global nutrition policies. We present recommendations for harmonisation of dietary guidelines, and nutrition and health claims starting with the societal needs driving this perspective. These recommendations also are proposed within the framework of objectives and actions by the Nutrition Working Group of the Global Harmonization Initiative (GHI). In all reviews to date, reports and critical point of views, the common conclusion is that harmonisation is the key to improving global legislation, which would benefit consumers, food quality and fair trade. The differences existing between global regulations regarding the main nutrition issues and the gap existing for the Nutrient Reference Value (NRV), daily energy value and intake, have made global harmonisation a vital initiative. Harmonised criteria checklists for food nutrition and health claims are proposed in this article, within the framework of general principle of harmonisation. These are strictly based on proven relationship(s) between food compounds and beneficial effects on nutrition or health.