From the 20th July 2016 Directive 2009/39/EC (PARNUTs) is repealed by Regulation (EU) No 609/2013 of 12 June 2013 on food intended for infants and young children, food for special medical purposes, and total diet replacement for weight control. See New Rules Update.
EU Legislation
Commission Directive 2006/125/EC (OJ L339, p16, 06/12/2006 ) of 5 December 2006 on processed cereal-based foods and baby foods for infants and young children
National Legislation
- European Communities (Processed Cereal-based foods and baby foods for Infants and Young Children) Regulations, 2007 (S.I. No 776 of 2007)
Commission Directive 2006/125/EC codifies and replaces the previous Directive (Commission Directive 96/5/EC) which had been amended a number of times. Commission Directive 2006/125/EC is transposed into Irish legislation by S.I. No 776 of 2007 and it sets the rules on the composition and labelling of processed cereal-based foods for particular nutritional use for infants and young children in good health and are intended for use by infants when they are being weaned and as a supplement to the diet of young children. The annexes of the Directive give criteria for the composition (protein, carbohydrate, fat, mineral substances and vitamins) of weaning foods. The duties and powers of authorised officers to ensure compliance with the Regulations are outlined in the S.I.
Commission Directive 2006/125/EC establishes the principle of the prohibition of the use of these pesticides in the production of agricultural products intended for processed cereal-based foods and baby foods. However, this prohibition does not necessarily guarantee that products are free from such pesticides, since some pesticides may contaminate the environment and their residues may be found in the products concerned. Therefore Commission Directive 2006/125/EC requires that processed cereal-based foods and baby foods must not contain residues of individual pesticides at levels exceeding 0.01 mg/kg, except for those substances for which specific levels have been set in Annex VI of the Directive, in which case these specific levels shall apply.
Commission Directive 2006/125/EC requires the indication of the presence or the absence of gluten when the product is intended for infants below six months of age. The absence of gluten in those products should be indicated in accordance with the requirements laid down in Regulation (EC) No 41/2009.
In addition to the requirements relating to processed cereal-based foods and baby foods for infants and young children in Commission Directive 2006/125/EC, there are also specific provisions in other legislation for example food hygiene, the use of food additives, the presence of contaminants in the products and on the use of materials intended to come into contact with foodstuffs etc which also apply