[Food supplements and fortified foods: benefits, risks and approaches to consumer protection].

Abstract

In Germany, around two thirds of adults and 5-20% of children take food supplements, many hoping to improve their health or performance. Consumption data show that with a few exceptions the intake of micronutrients through conventional foods is adequate in Germany. Food supplements are thus generally not considered necessary for healthy people who follow a varied and balanced diet. There are thus only a few situations in which a food supplement can be useful. Routine use of high-dose supplements, above all by people with adequate nutrient supply, increases the risk of harm to health, especially if products also contain 'other substances' with a nutritional or physiological effect, such as omega‑3 fatty acids or caffeine.Micronutrients or 'other substances' may also be added to conventional foods. Discretionarily fortified foods can-often without being noticed-contribute significantly to the overall exposure. In the European Union (EU), food supplements (as well as fortified foods) are legally defined as food, not as medicine. According to the Food Law, food shall not be placed on the market if it is unsafe. It is the responsibility of the food business operator to safeguard this, while in Germany the federal states (Länder) are responsible for food control and inspection. This is increasingly challenging due to the fact that a significant proportion of food supplements is marketed via the internet. In order to facilitate monitoring and ensure consumer protection, existing regulatory gaps must be closed, for example by setting EU-harmonised maximum amounts for vitamins and minerals and by improving the regulation of 'other substances'.