Literature and link list on food supplements and botanicals

Note: This is general literature and links on the topic of "NEM-Botanicals". The publication list of the project can be found here.

Legal requirements

[1] DIRECTIVE 2002/46/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to food supplements : Directive 2002/46/EG. Note: "Botanicals" belong to the category "other substances with a nutritional or physiological effect".

[2] German Food Supplement Regulation (NemV): NemV.pdf

[3] EU "Health Claims Regulation" : Verordnung (EG) Nr. 1924/2006. Note: Claims on the reduction of a risk of disease are only permissible if they have been scientifically tested by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and expressly approved by the EU Commission. Misleading consumers is prohibited.

[3b] Search Register of Health Claims: open the "Search Criteria" window with "Search Filters" and, if necessary, filter for plant names (or other keywords) under "Search >".

[4] European Food Safety Authority (EFSA): EU Register of nutrition and health claims made on foods

[5] Bundesamt für Verbraucherschutz und Lebensmittelsicherheit (Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety) (BVL), Stofflisten (2nd edition, October 2020) : Plant list - entries A-K; Plant list - entries L-Z

Further links to the topic "Food Supplements & Botanicals

National [Germany]

[6] Bundesamt für Verbraucherschutz und Lebensmittelsicherheit (Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety) (BVL). ALS statement on food supplements with other substances in the regulatory area of NemV, HCV and LMIV [de]

[7] Scientific Services of the German Bundestag: Listen für "Botanicals" in NEM [de]

[8] Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung (Federal Institute for Risk Assessment) (BfR): Risk assessment of "botanicals" in food supplements [de]

[9] Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung (Federal Institute for Risk Assessment) (BfR): Questions and answers of the BfR on food supplements [de].

[10] Gesellschaft für Phytotherapie (Society for Phytotherapy) (GPT): Position paper on the distinction between herbal medicinal products and food supplements: [de], [en]

[10b] Food Chemical Society (LChG), Basic paper of the Working Group On Nutritional Issues on plant extracts in food: April 2022

EU

[11] Statement of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) on botanicals: EFSA "Botanicals"

[12] EFSA database of botanicals of possible concern for human health when present in food: : Compendium of Botanicals. See also here. Link to  PDF file. Note: This database does not provide information on the quality or safety of specific products.

U.S.

[13] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - National Toxicology Program (NTP): Botanical Dietary Supplements

[14] U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH): Botanical Supplement Fact Sheets

Further general links on the topic: