Republished with full copyright permissions from The Boston News Tribune.

Last night, the European Parliament and the EU Council achieved a significant milestone with their agreement on the revised “Breakfast Directives”, aimed at providing clearer labelling for honey, fruit juices, and jam to European consumers.

A major triumph of the S&D Group in these negotiations is the establishment of a traceability system in the honey supply chain. This system will enable consumers to track the origin of honey products through transparent information and labelling. Not only will this contribute to greater accountability in the honey market by curbing fraud and illegal trade, but it will also empower consumers to make more informed decisions about the products they consume.

In response to the burgeoning consumer preference for reduced sugar content in fruit juices, the revised directives will now mandate the labelling of naturally contained sugar in fruit juices. This move aims to avoid misleading marketing messages, recognizing that despite the absence of added sugar, some fruit juices can be very sweet. Additionally, the S&Ds have taken steps to ensure that new techniques used to remove naturally occurring sugars in fruit juices, jams, jellies, or milk should not lead to the use of potentially carcinogenic sweeteners such as aspartame.

Sidl Günther, S&D negotiator on the revision of the “Breakfast Directives”, emphasized, “Consumers deserve to have clear and accurate information about the products they consume. The traceability system in the honey supply chain and mandatory sugar content labelling will empower European consumers to make informed decisions for a healthier lifestyle. Furthermore, I believe that the outcome of these negotiations will not only benefit consumers, but will also create a more supportive environment for EU beekeepers.”

He further stressed on the significance of honey traceability as an effective means to combat fraud and illegal trade, and highlighted the S&D Group’s efforts in raising the issue of aspartame and its potential health implications. They have called for the European Food Safety Authority to conduct a reassessment of the effects of aspartame on human health by the end of this year.

The revised “Breakfast Directives” mark a significant step forward in ensuring transparency and consumer empowerment in the food industry, and demonstrate the commitment of European authorities to address key concerns related to honey, fruit juices, and healthier consumer choices.