FOODS INTENDED FOR USE IN ENERGY- RESTRICTED DIETS FOR WEIGHT REDUCTION REGULATIONS

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 449.22

FOODS INTENDED FOR USE IN ENERGY-

RESTRICTED DIETS FOR WEIGHT REDUCTION

REGULATIONS

31st March, 1999

LEGAL NOTICE 1 of 1999, as amended by Legal Notice 268 of 2007.

1 The title of these regulations is Foods Intended for Use in

Energy-Restricted Diets for Weight Reduction Regulations.

Essential Composition of Foods for Energy-Restricted Diets

The specifications refer to the products ready for use,

marketed as such or reconstituted as instructed by the

manufacturer.

1. Energy

1.1 The energy provided by a product mentioned in regulation

3.1(a) shall not be less than 3,360 kJ (800 kcal) and shall not

exceed 5,040 kJ (1,200 kcal) for the total daily ration.

1.2 The energy provided by a product mentioned in regulation

3.1(b), shall not be less than 840 kJ (200 kcal) and shall not exceed

1,680 kJ (400 kcal) per meal.

2. Protein

2.1 The protein contained in products mentioned in regulation

3.1(a) and (b) shall provide not less than 25% and not more than

50% of the total energy of the product. In any case the amount of

protein of products mentioned in regulation 3.1(a) shall not exceed

125 g.

2.2 The above mentioned provisions on protein refer to a

protein the chemical index of which is equal to that of the FAD/

WHO (1985) reference protein given in the Second Schedule. If the

chemical index is lower than 100% of the reference protein, the

minimum protein levels shall be correspondingly increased. In any

case the chemical index of the protein shall at least be equal to 80%

of that of the reference protein.

2.3 The "chemical index" shall mean the lowest of the ratios

between the quantity of each essential amino acid of the test protein

in and the quantity of each corresponding amino acid of the

reference protein.

2.4 In all cases, the addition of amino acids is permitted solely

for the purpose of improving the nutritional value of the proteins,

and only in the proportions necessary for that purpose.

3. Fat

3.1 The energy derived from fat shall not exceed 30% of the

total available energy of the product.

3.2 For products mentioned in regulation 3.1(a), the linoleic

acid content (in the form of glycerides) shall not be less than 4.5 g.

3.3 For products mentioned in regulation 3.1(b), the linoleic

acid (in the form of glycerides) shall not be less than 1 g.

4. Dietary fibre

The dietary fibre content of products mentioned in

regulation 3.1(a) shall not be less than 10 g and shall not exceed 30

g for the daily ration.

5. Vitamins and minerals

5.1 The products mentioned in regulation 3.1(a) shall provide

for the whole of the daily diet at least 100% of the amounts of

vitamins and minerals specified in the Table in this Schedule.

5.2 The products mentioned in regulation 3.1(b) shall provide

at least 30% of the amounts of vitamins and minerals specified in

the Table per meal; however, the amount of potassium per meal

provided by these products shall be at least 500 mg.

Vitamin A

µ g RE

Vitamin D

µg

Vitamin E

mg-TE

Vitamin C

mg

Thiamin

mg

1.1

Riboflavin

mg

1.6

Niacin

mg-NE

Vitamin B 6

mg

1.5

Folate

µg

Vitamin B 12

µg

1.4

Biotin

µg

Pantothenic acid

mg

Calcium

mg

Phosphorus

mg

Potassium

mg

Iron

mg

Zinc

mg

1 These regulations concern compositional and labelling

requirements for foods for particular nutritional use intended for

use in energy restricted diets for weight reduction and presented as

such.

2.2 These regulations shall not apply to foods intended

specifically for persons suffering from carbohydrate metabolism

disorders, such as diabetes.

Amino Acid Requirement Pattern 1

g/100 g protein

Cystine + methionine

1.7

Histidine

1.6

Isoleucine

1.3

Leucine

1.9

Lysine

1.6

Phenylalanine + tyrosine

1.9

Threonine

0.9

Tryptophan

0.5

Valine

1.3

World Health Organisation. Energy and Protein Requirements. Report of a

Joint FAO/WHO/UNU Meeting. Geneva: World Health Organisation, 1985

(WHO Technical Report Series, 724).

1 In these regulations, foods for use in energy-restricted diets

for weight reduction are specially formulated foods which, when

used as instructed by the manufacturer, replace the whole or part of

the total daily diet. They are divided into two categories

(a) products presented as a replacement for the whole of

the daily diet;

(b) products presented as a replacement for one or more

meals of the daily diet.

Vitamins and Minerals and their Recommended Daily Allowances

(RDAs)

Vitamin A µ g

Vitamin D µ g

Vitamin E mg

Vitamin C mg

Thiamin mg

1.4

Riboflavin mg

1.6

Niacin mg

Vitamin B 6 mg

Folacin µ g

Vitamin B 12 µ g

Biotin mg

0.15

Pantothenic acid mg

Calcium mg

Phosphorus mg

Iron mg

Magnesium mg

Zinc mg

Iodine µ g

1 No person shall manufacture, import, sell, keep for the

purpose of sale, or otherwise distribute any food intended for use in

for weight reduction unless it complies with the requirements of

these regulations.

4.2 All individual components making up products presented

as a replacement for the whole of the daily diet, as sold, shall be

contained in the same package.

1 Foods falling within the scope of these regulations must

comply with the compositional criteria specified in the First

Schedule.

1

The name under which the product is sold shall be

(a) for products covered by regulation 3.1(a), "Total diet

replacement for weight control";

(b) for products covered by regulation 3.1(b), "Meal

replacement for weight control".

6.2 The labelling of the products concerned shall bear, in

addition to those provided for in the Labelling, Presentation and

Advertising of Foodstuffs Regulations, the following mandatory

particulars

(a) the available energy value expressed in kJ and kcal,

and the content of proteins, carbohydrates and fat,

FOODS INTENDED FOR USE IN

ENERGY-RESTRICTED DIETS FOR WEIGHT REDUCTION

expressed in numerical form, per specified quantity of

the product ready for use as proposed for consumption;

(b) the average quantity of each mineral and each vitamin

for which mandatory requirements are stipulated in

paragraph 5 of the First Schedule, expressed in

numerical form, per specified quantity of the product

ready for use as proposed for consumption. In

addition, for products mentioned in regulation 3.1(b),

information on vitamins and minerals listed in the

table of paragraph 5 of the First Schedule shall also be

expressed as a percentage of the values as defined in

the Third Schedule;

(c) instructions for appropriate preparation, when

necessary, and a statement as to the importance of

following those instructions;

(d) if a product, when used as instructed by the

manufacturer, provides a daily intake of polyols in

excess of 20 g per day, there shall be a statement to the

effect that the food may have a laxative effect;

(e) a statement on the importance of maintaining an

adequate daily fluid intake;

(f)

for products mentioned in regulation 3.1(a) -

(i)

a statement that the product provides adequate

amounts of all essential nutrients for the day;

(ii) a statement that the product should not be used

for more than three weeks without medical

advice;

(g) for products mentioned in regulation 3.1(b), a

statement to the effect that the products are useful for

the intended use only as part of an energy-restricted

diet and that other foodstuffs should be a necessary

part of such diet.

6.3 The labelling, advertising and presentation of the products

concerned shall not make any reference to the rate or amount of

weight loss which may result from their use.

5

Copper

mg

1.1

Iodine

µg

Selenium

µg

Sodium

mg

Magnesium

mg

Manganese

mg