From March 2019
Potential new regulations for food supplements
In 2017 the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) Standardization Organization circulated draft legislation proposing a new regulation for food supplements. If published, the finalised standard would be a major new development in the GCC food law sector as food supplements were not previously regulated as food.
The draft legislation covers vitamin and mineral supplements and excludes extracts and other medicinal supplements. It specifies which forms of vitamins and minerals can be used and provides a list of the permitted chemical compounds. It also proposes some new labelling requirements, most of which will follow GSO 9/2013 on mandatory labelling requirements, but the proposed new legislation also includes some additional requirements such as providing RDA percentages for the vitamins and minerals concerned.
Health claims linked to the consumption of food supplements is strictly prohibited and the products must bear instructions on safe dosages to prevent any potential toxicity. Besides labelling requirements, the draft legislation also outlines other regulatory requirements - specifically product registration and health certificates for food supplements sold in GCC.
The draft legislation is currently being discussed and the GCC is welcoming comments.
Get in touch to find out how this new legislation could affect your business and what actions you might need to take.