This is considered food or food supplement?

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So based on the EU legislation this is considered food or a food supplement?
Or it is governed by another legislation?

1 Like
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Huel is food. It is meant to replace some of your food, not be in addition to it.

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I believe he’s referring to its classification by law. I’d assume it would be a ‘food supplement’ but no clue

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That’s right Jonny, to the classification I’m referring.
“Food” and “Food supplements” are two distinct categories.

Food is under this general Regulation (EC) No 178/2002:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX:32002R0178 (scroll down)

Food supplements (also called dietary supplements in US) is under this Directive 2002/46/EC:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32002L0046

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Definition of “food”

For the purposes of this Regulation, “food” (or “foodstuff”) means any substance or product, whether processed, partially processed or unprocessed, intended to be, or reasonably expected to be ingested by humans.

“Food” includes drink, chewing gum and any substance, including water, intentionally incorporated into the food during its manufacture, preparation or treatment. It includes water after the point of compliance as defined in Article 6 of Directive 98/83/EC and without prejudice to the requirements of Directives 80/778/EEC and 98/83/EC.

“Food” shall not include:

(a) feed;

(b) live animals unless they are prepared for placing on the market for human consumption;

(c) plants prior to harvesting;

(d) medicinal products within the meaning of Council Directives 65/65/EEC(21) and 92/73/EEC(22);

(e) cosmetics within the meaning of Council Directive 76/768/EEC(23);

(f) tobacco and tobacco products within the meaning of Council Directive 89/622/EEC(24);

(g) narcotic or psychotropic substances within the meaning of the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961, and the United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances, 1971;

(h) residues and contaminants.

Definition of supplements:

For the purposes of this Directive:

(a) “food supplements” means foodstuffs the purpose of which is to supplement the normal diet and which are concentrated sources of nutrients or other substances with a nutritional or physiological effect, alone or in combination, marketed in dose form, namely forms such as capsules, pastilles, tablets, pills and other similar forms, sachets of powder, ampoules of liquids, drop dispensing bottles, and other similar forms of liquids and powders designed to be taken in measured small unit quantities;

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The Netherlands authorities have stated that Joylent is a food supplement, so no inspections at all for them, proudly said Joey van Koningsbruggen (Joylent’s CEO) once.

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It’s a bit bizarre that they have classed it as a supplement, since it is meant to replace food. Surely, supplement means something you have in addition to normal food, no instead of, right? Surely, by definition, a “meal replacement” is not a supplement, because it is replacing meals, not supplementing them.