New Upper Limits for Vitamins and Minerals

At a recent meeting in Rome, the Codex Alimentarius Commission proposed that new international guidelines for vitamins and mineral contents be set. Over 10 years of debate in the making, the adoption of the Codex Guidelines for Vitamin and Mineral Food Supplements is an important step towards establishing internationally permitted content levels for vitamins and minerals based on their risk assessment, as opposed to recommended dietary allowances (RDA).

There will no longer be a set standard for upper limits in these products based on nutritional needs. The next step will be to determine valid levels based on a scientific safety evaluation.

The adoption of these guidelines means the international community will pursue a scientific approach to safety evaluation in regards to vitamin and mineral products. It will lead to free trade in the supplement industry and more choice for the consumer. These guidelines will serve as a model for many countries that don’t currently have supplement regulations in place.

Opponents to the Codex Guidelines fear the new standards will only permit low-level products on the market and that higher-dose supplements will now be regulated as drugs.

July 2005
Source: NPI Center