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Background Paper on Portions Related to the CIAA Voluntary GDA Scheme
26/06/2009 | News
Context
The CIAA Recommendation for a Common Voluntary Nutrition Labelling Scheme, which was launched in 2006, is based on expressing the nutrition information per portion. In order to facilitate the application of the Scheme, European Food Sectors have agreed on the portions for their categories.
The Nutrition Labelling Directive 90/496/EEC requires that nutrition information is provided per 100g or 100ml. CIAA supports that approach as it helps consumers to compare the energy and nutrient content of different kinds of foodstuffs. In addition, the CIAA Voluntary Scheme provides nutrition information per portion, as stated by the manufacturer on the pack, which provides information on the energy and nutrient content reasonably expected to be consumed. This is especially helpful if the average portion of the consumed food is significantly larger or smaller than the 100g/100ml baseline.
Objectives
In establishing agreed portions the overall aim of the CIAA Scheme is to proactively provide information to consumers in a consistent manner which is both realistic and reasonable, which consumers can relate to and which can help them achieve an adequate energy and nutrient intake. This information will empower them to make an informed choice.
Definition
A portion is the amount of a given food or beverage reasonably expected to be consumed by an individual in a single consumption occasion. A portion of a product, which is not consumed as such (for example fats or oils used in cooking or in recipes), is a reference quantity, which helps consumers to relate this quantity to its nutrition content (for example a soup spoon).
The agreed portions apply to products sold in multi-portion packages (for example a box of ice cream or a bottle of oil).
Manufacturers determine the portion of products pre-packed individually or in single-portion packages on the basis of technological constraints, nutritional considerations, varying consumption patterns in Member States and other factors.
Applied criteria
When establishing portions European Food Sectors have considered several factors, for example intake data, product density, fortification policy, flexibility to provide consumer friendly information, history of use, recognised reference quantities, product offerings currently on the market, increased consumer choice, consumption occasions and eating patterns in 27 Member States.
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