Food Supplements and European Regulation within a Precautionary Context: A Critique and Implications for Nutritional, Toxicological and Regulatory Consistency

In this paper, we review European legislation in the field of micronutrient food supplements and find it wanting. It is shown that the precautionary principle, embedded in European food legislation, pre-empts innovative developments in this field. In view of the scientific advances in micronutrients research, we subsequently critique the precautionary perspective and propose a novel outlook on micronutrients food supplements regulation. However, this requires a transition from the “survival” approach of the current deficiency-related RDAs to a “health-optimization” approach of a n(ew)-RDA. Genomic integrity is central in this envisioned transition.

Keywords:

• Micronutrients
• food supplements
• European regulation
• precautionary principle
• regulatory innovation
• Intended Normal Use (INU)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The International Nutrition Company BV in Loosdrecht, The Netherlands, is kindly acknowledged for providing a grant to carry out this review.