Position papers

Manifesto for Probiotic Food and Food Supplements in Europe

The European probiotic sector needs to become again the driving force for innovative products that add value to human wellbeing, and to contribute to the growth of the European economy.

The European voice of the probiotic industry, IPA Europe, is committed to developing a positive environment for probiotics in Europe.

Read all about it in the new Manifesto 2024.
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IPA EUROPE: Call for a responsible use of the term ‘probiotic’

6th December 2023

The International Probiotics Association Europe (IPA Europe) is deeply committed to promoting the responsible use of probiotics in food and food supplements. IPA Europe asks for an evaluation of the current understanding of the term ‘probiotic’ in the EU. Also, we believe that clear criteria should be set up to prevent the indiscriminate use of the term ‘probiotic’ and its potential misinterpretation.

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Joint statement IPA Europe – European Dairy Association (EDA)

7th March 2022

The European Dairy Association (EDA) and the International Probiotics Association – Europe (IPA Europe) want to highlight the contribution that the probiotic sector can make on a number of the objectives listed in the EU Farm to Fork Strategy, and jointly ask for a clear engagement of the European Commission and stakeholders on the use of the term probiotic on labelling and communication towards consumers in Europe.

IPA Europe, representing the probiotic sector, and the European Dairy Association (EDA) argue that ‘contains probiotics’ describes the substance, or category of substances, as factual information, and that it matches with the Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation. Since several years the probiotics sector has been asking the European Commission to look at the probiotic category, but until now this was not indicated as a priority.

The global probiotic market in 2021 is over 33Bn EUR and continues to grow, with the European market representing 1/3 of the global consumption of probiotic food and food supplements. More than 70% of this market is represented by dairy and fermented milk products.

‘We call for action on the part of the European Commission and relevant stakeholders to build a coherent and consistent framework in Europe, to alleviate avoidable legal burden, with the goal of enhancing the functioning of our European Single Market’.

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IPA Europe and EDA joint position on probiotics

Documents

Joint Statement of IPA Europe and 17 other signatories on the EC Initiative: Boosting Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing in the EU.
The joint statement in response to the publication of the Initiative praises it as a positive starting point, while calling for greater ambition and implementation. The initiative recognizes various challenges and barriers, including the need for a level playing field for market entry and demand. A key step in addressing these issues is streamlining and aligning regulatory pathways. Consequently, urgent action is required to remove bottlenecks that currently hinder commercialization and place European companies at a competitive disadvantage. Currently, the lack of a harmonized approach to fermentation technology using food cultures prevents the full realization of its potential to contribute to a sustainable food system. This is especially true for probiotic microorganisms. There's an urgent need to harmonize the use of the term 'probiotics' across EU Member States to provide clarity for both industry and consumers. Achieving harmonization would significantly reduce burdens for companies and improve the competitiveness of the European industry. The position is available here
IPAEU and EDA Joint position paper - March 2022
IPA Europe and European Dairy Association's joint position paper on the regulation of the use of the term probiotics.
IPAEU and ISAPP Criteria paper Press Release (2020)
The IPAEU and ISAPP paper “Criteria to qualify microorganisms as ‘probiotic’ in foods and dietary supplements” is now published in Frontiers in Microbiology - IPA EU press release
Criteria to Qualify Microorganisms as “Probiotic” in Foods and Dietary Supplements (2020)
Binda Sylvie, Hill Colin, Johansen Eric, Obis David, Pot Bruno, Sanders Mary Ellen, Tremblay Annie, Ouwehand Arthur C., Criteria to Qualify Microorganisms as “Probiotic” in Foods and Dietary Supplements, Frontiers in Microbiology 2020
IPA Europe criteria to qualify a microorganism designated as “probiotic” in foods, beverages and dietary supplements - Press release (2018)
In developing this voluntary approach, the European probiotic industry shows that it is proactive and responsible when it comes to meaningful self-regulation. IPA Europe contends that the development of scientifically-based criteria is a prerequisite to qualifying a microbial strain as a “probiotic”. In fact, the absence of formal criteria leaves the door wide open for misuse of the “probiotic” denomination and misinterpretation of the ‘probiotic’ concept, as is currently the case in the European Union. The criteria recommend the use of the term “probiotic” to describe a microorganism only when a combination of four requirements is met: characterization of the species level and identification at strain level; must be safe for the intended use; the probiotic status should be scientifically documented; must be alive in the product and in a sufficient amount to achieve the desired effect up to the end of shelf-life and when consumed.
IPA Europe criteria to qualify a microorganism designated as “probiotic” in foods, beverages and dietary supplements - Full document (2018)
IPA Europe calls for a harmonized EU approach on probiotics in order to better inform consumers - Press release
In a joint statement – presented at the event “Enabling Innovation in Food/Food Supplements” at the European Parliament on November 7, 2017 – the Probiotic industry stressed the need for meaningful consumer information in the European Union (EU) on Probiotics. The probiotic sector will continue dedicating efforts and resources to improving the environment for probiotics in Europe and we wish to achieve this in collaboration with all relevant stakeholders.
IPA Europe calls for a harmonized EU approach on probiotics in order to better inform consumers - Position paper