Toothfriendly is a Swiss-based group that counts dental professionals, dental and public health institutions and confectionery makers and ingredient suppliers among its membership, with the likes of Roquette among its fold.
It represents a sector that has been rewarded well by the European health claims process that is giving it wider scope to utilise its ‘happy teeth’ products logos in and out of Europe.
Role model
"Whilst European consumers are increasingly aware of the health implications of their eating habits, this is not yet the case in many less developed countries,” said Dr Albert Bär, director of Toothfriendly International.
“It is therefore important that use of the logo and the claim of ‘Toothfriendly’ can continue in Europe – because European food labels become increasingly a model for other countries where the protection of consumers against misleading advertising only starts to become a matter of concern.”
Dr Bar praised the work of companies like Roquette for their work in, “making the ‘Toothfriendly’ logo available as a symbol for dentally safe confectionery in countries where dental caries still predominate."
EFSA opinions
The latest decisions emerged from among EFSA’s fifth batch of 13.1 opinions. One of the decisions covers the use of intense sweeteners, while the other applies to bulk sweeteners.
They follow a steady trickle of positive opinions for specific dental health claims lodged variously under articles 13 and 14 by companies such as Beneo, Tate & Lyle and Roquette.
One of those opinions can be found here.