Brussels, 20/01/2016 (Agence Europe) - “The health of babies comes first”, the European Parliament said in Strasbourg on Wednesday 20 January, when it rejected proposed European rules concerning the specific requirements for the composition and information applicable to cereal-based preparations and baby food.
The reason for this is that the authorised sugar content would be far higher than that recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The MEPs rejected the proposals by 393 votes (305 against, 12 abstentions) and called upon the Commission to review its copy (see EUROPE 11469).
The composition of cereal-based processed foods and baby foods does not protect infants and young children from obesity, the MEPs said. Keith Taylor (Greens/EFA, UK), the architect of the objection, welcomes the majority support expressed by the MEPs.
“The health risks associated with excessive sugar consumption are now widely accepted. The European Parliament has today voted to put the health of babies and children first”, he said.
The resolution adopted stipulates, amongst other things, that the maximum sugar content should be substantially reduced to come into line with WHO recommendations that sugar should provide less than 10% of total energy. The Commission's proposal, on the other hand, provided that sugars could continue to provide up to 30% of the energy of baby food (7.5 g of sugar/100 kcal is equivalent to 30 kcal of sugar in 100 kcal). (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)