On Thursday, 23 October, the Saeima in the final reading adopted amendments to the Law on the Supervision of the Handling of Food, which set the limits of permissible content of trans fats in foodstuffs to promote the availability of healthier food options.
According to the amendments, the government will have to set the maximum permissible amount of trans fats in foodstuffs by 30 November 2015. The authors of the amendments have pointed out that research carried out in recent years has proved the harmful effects of trans fats on human health, namely, consumption of trans fats is directly linked to heart and circulatory diseases, cancer, diabetes, obesity, as well as adverse effects on pregnancy. Data from last year show that in Latvia the highest concentration of trans fats is found in cheese products, curd snacks, sour cream and butter products.
Currently, Denmark and Austria are the only EU member states that have established permissible limits of trans fats in foodstuffs.
Furthermore, the amendments also require individuals to ensure that foodstuffs intended for their own consumption conform to relevant health and safety requirements, thereby reducing the risk of contracting trichinosis and limiting the hazards associated with meat products of unknown origin. According to data from the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, more than 50 people have contracted trichinosis in the past two years.
The amendments will also enable the Food and Veterinary Service to publish information about cases of misleading consumers regarding the origin and content of foodstuffs. This applies to all types of misleading information; until now the Food and Veterinary Service was permitted to publish information only about cases regarding violations that threaten human health or life. The vast majority of identified violations pertain to the country of origin indicated on the labels, especially of fruits and vegetables. The amendments will also enable the Food and Veterinary Service staff to engage in undercover shopping as a part of their monitoring routines.
The government is therefore tasked with setting requirements regarding labelling of packaged food, provision of information about unpackaged food, as well as additional labelling of foodstuffs. The authors of the amendments also point out that the EU regulation on labelling of foodstuffs has come into force, and it will apply to Latvia as of 13 December 2014.
The amendments will introduce a single permit procedure regarding additives, ferments and flavouring in foodstuffs.
Besides, a new provision is being introduced regarding pollutants, including traces of pesticides, in foodstuffs; that is, the concentration of these substances will no longer be allowed to exceed the maximum amounts set forth in the directly applicable EU legal acts. The Cabinet of Ministers will have to adopt procedures for sampling and testing for traces of pesticides in products of plant and animal origin.
Saeima Press Service