Food supplements
In recent years, the consumption of food supplements has shown an increasing trend as modern living conditions often do not allow a balanced diet, whilst at the same time there is a strong consumer interest for a healthier lifestyle.
According to the Greek National Organization for Medicines (article 2 of JMD1 / 127962/03) as food supplements are considered:
"Food supplements are industrial products. They are concentrated sources of nutrients or other substances with nutritional or physiological effects, available in different dosage forms, in order to supplement the usual diet. They are not allowed to have or to show preventive or therapeutic indications, which are allowed only to medicines".
Food supplements do not include Special Nutrition Products (below) which are products of special medical purposes, reduced calorie diets for weight loss, products for athletes, etc.
Regulations according to the Greek National Organization for Medicines and of the European Food Safety Authority (related to the health claims):
- It should always be made clear to the consumer that the product does not replace the "normal diet", i.e. the appropriate and balanced diet, but only complements it. This is achieved, for example, by clear and legible remarks such as "this product does not replace a balanced diet".
- Food supplements’ labels should not cite therapeutic or preventive indications for disease such as those prescribed on medication, as their role is complementary to a balanced diet.
- Food supplements’ labels should not cite therapeutic or preventive indications for disease such as those prescribed on medication, as their role is complementary to a balanced diet.
- Food supplements are not evaluated or approved by the Greek National Organization for Medicines, they are only notified and subjected to a repressive control.
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