The new Regulation (EU) No 609/2013 of the European Parliament and the Council begins to apply today (although sell-through is permitted). It sets general compositional and labelling requirements, which aim to protect vulnerable groups such as infants and children up to 3 years of age, overweight or obese people and people with specific medical conditions. The Regulation requires the Commission to adopt, through delegated acts, specific compositional and labelling rules for:
· Infant and follow-on formula
· Processed-cereal based food and other baby food
· Food for special medical purposes
· Total diet replacement for weight control
It also envisages a single EU list of substances that can be added to such foods, as well as a consolidation of rules on gluten-free foods under Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 and meal replacement products for weight control under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.