Working Group Revises Codex NRVs

BRUSSELLSThe Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) created an electronic working group (eWG) to align Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs) in the Codex Guidelines on Nutrition Labeling. This revision will include an FAO/WHO review of existing daily vitamin and mineral intake reference values.

The eWG will focus on recommending vitamin and mineral NRVs for the general population older than 36 months, based on the Codex General Principles for Establishing NRVs of Vitamins and Minerals for the General Population, and an FAO/WHO report commissioned last year.

The Codex Guidelines on Nutrition Labeling require food products bearing nutrition claims to state their nutrient content on labels and has established NRVs to harmonize the labeling of products.

The eWG, which was formed at this months CCNFSDU meeting in Germany, will be chaired by Australia and will be assessing the NRVs for 28 nutrients, some already existing in the Codex Guideline on Nutrition Labeling and others for their potential addition.

IADSA supports the formation of the eWG to carry forward this revision process as it is important for the global supplement sector," said David Pineda, IADSAs director of regulatory affairs. The FAO/WHO was tasked with compiling the most recent values from internationally authoritative scientific bodies to ensure that the values reflect the latest research on nutritional requirements. We have provided scientific and technical assistance to Codex on this matter in the past and will continue to do so where needed."

The eWGs work will be discussed again by the CCNFSDU in December 2012.