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Addition of nutrients to food

The addition of nutrients to food means the addition of one or more nutrients, typically vitamins and/or minerals, to a food product during the manufacturing process. A food with vitamins added is commonly referred to as ‘fortified with vitamins’.

New legislation

EU Regulation on the addition of vitamins and minerals and of certain other substances to foods

The legislation on fortified foods has been harmonized. The national provisions in place earlier varied from extremely restricted to fairly liberal. This has contributed to hinder the free mobility of goods. The new harmonization of legislation simplifies the situation.

Regulation (EC) No. 1925/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the addition of vitamins and minerals and of certain other substances to foods entered into force on January 19, 2006 and has been applied as of July 1, 2007. Links to the Regulation can be found in the right-hand column of this page.

The Decree of the Ministry of Trade and Industry on the national measures required by the entry into force of Regulation (EC) No. 1925/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the addition of vitamins and minerals and of certain other substances to foods (726/2007) entered into force on July 1, 2007 and repealed the earlier national provision on fortified foods (Decree 281/1972 and Decree of the Ministry of Trade and Industry 917/2002). The permit procedure for fortified foods has been abolished and replaced with the notification procedure. A food business operator must notify the Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira of the bringing to market of any food to which vitamins and/or minerals have been added (see Notification on bringing to market fortified foods). For more information on transitional measures, please see Provisions for the transition period.

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