EHPM has launched its Probiotics Guidelines and its Position Paper for a harmonised EU approach to the use of the term probiotics on 27 June 2024.
During the 2024 Members’ Meeting and panel discussion on ‘The Upcoming EU Mandate: Priorities, Regulatory Challenges & the EHPM Manifesto’, held in Brussels on 27 June, the ‘EHPM Probiotics Guidelines’ and the ‘EHPM Position Paper for a harmonised EU approach to the use of the term probiotics’ were launched. The two documents are result of three years of work of the EHPM Working Group on Probiotics, chaired by Martin Last (HFMA) and vice-chaired by Valerie Vercammen (Be-sup), which gathers experts from the food supplements sector to proactively develop balanced and practical proposals to create a labelling environment that consumers can trust, allowing them to make informed choices about the products they purchase and consume. Special thanks to Laura Jost (LHS) for her valuable contribution.
EHPM Probiotics Guidelines
The objective of ‘EHPM Probiotics Guidelines’ is to define guidelines for a practical, reliable and safe use of probiotics in food supplements. They provide recommendations on what constitutes probiotic microorganisms: strain characterisation, safety, viability, manufacturing practices and labelling of food supplements containing probiotics.
The ‘EHPM Probiotics Guidelines’ are not intended to be legal in nature but consists in recommendations for operators in the food supplement sector (strain suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, etc.) for the control of their formulations and manufacturing conditions of their products. Adherence to these guidelines will ensure the quality and safety of probiotic-based food supplements. Responsibility is shared between the various stakeholders considering their specialty and their level of intervention.
The ‘EHPM Probiotics Guidelines’ are available here.
EHPM Position Paper for a harmonised EU approach to the use of the term probiotics
The probiotics market, globally valued at EUR 5,9 billion in 2021, continues to grow, with European sales reaching EUR 1,7 billion. Despite high consumer awareness and demand, the European Commission’s current approach of treating the term ‘probiotics’ as a health claim complicates probiotic labelling, limiting consumers’ informed choice. Different Member States have adopted different practical approaches to solve this issue but causing inconsistencies in the internal market.
EHPM advocates for a practical and harmonised EU approach to the labelling of probiotic food supplements, emphasising consumer demand and the need for operators to have clear and accurate information across the EU. For this reason, EHPM promotes the ‘category approach’ for probiotic labelling to ensure uniformity, enhance consumer understanding and support market development.
This statement is argued in the ‘EHPM Position Paper for a harmonised EU approach to the use of the term probiotics’ which is meant to be a visual and practical public affairs tool for EHPM and its members towards European and National Authorities.
The ‘EHPM Position Paper for a harmonised EU approach to the use of the term probiotics’ is available here.
