Report of “data collection with respect to the availability and nutritional composition of different types of milk-based drinks and similar products for young children with the denomination of “growing up milks” or “toddlers' milks” or with similar terminology currently on the market in EU Member States”
Meta data
The present document has been produced and adopted by the bodies identified above as author(s). This task has been carried out exclusively by the author(s) in the context of a contract between the European Food Safety Authority and the author(s), awarded following a tender procedure. The present document is published complying with the transparency principle to which the Authority is subject. It may not be considered as an output adopted by the Authority. The European Food Safety Authority reserves its rights, view and position as regards the issues addressed and the conclusions reached in the present document, without prejudice to the rights of the authors.
Abstract
In 2013, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) received a mandate from the European Commission to provide advice on milk-based drinks and similar products intended for infants and young children (M-2013-0088). This request also includes advice to be provided on the importance and role of so-called “growing up milks”, “toddlers' milks” or similar products in the diet of children aged 1-3 years. In this regard, it is necessary to collect data on the availability and nutritional composition of these types of products currently available in EU Member States. For this purpose, the aim of this project was the collection of data related to the availability and nutritional composition of so-called “growing up milks”, “toddlers' milks” or similar products intended for children aged 1-3 years currently on the market in EU Member States. These type of products may include but are not limited to drinks (either in liquid form or powder form to be reconstituted) based on cow, goat or sheep milk or originating from soy, rice, oat or almonds with or without modification of the protein composition or content and supplementation of fatty acids, micronutrients or other substances with a potential nutritional effect, such as probiotics, prebiotics or symbiotics, and are specifically targeted at children aged 1-3 years, usually to replace intake of cow’s milk.