Public consultation of the Scientific Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies on a draft Opinion related to Food-Based Dietary Guidelines

Published:
Deadline:
Expired

The European Commission has asked EFSA to review the existing scientific advice provided by the Scientific Committee for Food (SCF) on nutrient and energy intakes for the European Community on 1993. The scientific advice on nutrient intakes is important as the basis of Community action in the field of nutrition; for example such advice has in the past been used as the basis of nutrition labelling.

In order to communicate effectively on nutrition and healthy diets to the public at large, it is generally more appropriate to express recommendations for the intake of individual nutrients or substances in food-based terms. To this end EFSA has been also asked by the European Commission to provide assistance on the translation of nutrient based dietary recommendations for a healthy diet into food-based recommendations intended for the European population as a whole.

In preparing its scientific advice to the Commission, the Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies reviewed the reasons and general principles for Food-Based Dietary Guidelines (FBDG), identified relevant scientific information for establishing FBDG for individual countries within the EU and summarised steps for implementation, monitoring and evaluation for individual countries.

The Panel considers that the differences between EU countries in the prevalence of nutrient imbalances and diet-related public health issues, together with the considerable disparities across countries in dietary habits and traditions, require that FBDG to be established by country or region.

In line with EFSA’s policy on openness and transparency, and in order for EFSA to receive comments from the scientific community and stakeholders to comment on its work, EFSA engages in public consultation on key issues.

In this respect EFSA would be grateful to receive relevant comments on its draft scientific opinion on Food-Based Dietary Guidelines.

Interested parties are invited to submit written comments by means of the electronic form available on this page by 15 December 2008. Please note that comments submitted by email or by post cannot be taken into account.

Comments should refer to the line numbering. If interested parties wish to contribute studies or data to support a particular comment, these should be published or accepted for publication in scientific reports or journals and clear reference to where the supporting information is found should be made. 

It should be noted that a submission will not under any circumstances be considered if:

 
  • it is submitted after the deadline set out in the call;
  • it is presented in any other form than the instructions and template provide for;
  • it contains comments which do not relate to the contents of the document;
  • it contains information on individual cases;
  • it contains complaints against institutions, personal accusations, irrelevant or offensive statements or material;
  • it is related to policy or risk management aspects, which is out of the scope of EFSA's activity.

EFSA will assess all relevant comments from interested parties which are submitted in line with the above criteria. The comments will be evaluated by the EFSA’s Scientific Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies and taken into consideration where these will enhance the scientific quality or understanding of the document. Following this procedure EFSA will publish the relevant comments received, as well as a short report on the outcome of the consultation.