At present, the vast majority of health and nutrition food available in the market are general foods. To be called “health food”, products must comply with relevant provisions of the Health Food Management Act, and the registration license must be duly inspected. Therefore, “health food” is a proper noun, a legal term, and only those who have obtained health food permits may claim the name “health food”. The difference between “health food” and nutritional supplements (general food) lies in the fact that health food may claim specific health effects, while general foods may not. The “Health Food Control Act” of the Ministry of Health and Welfare was announced on February 3rd, 1999 and it was promulgated on August 3rd the same year. According to the provisions of this management act, besides the certified “health food”, health food must not claim to be “health food” through advertisements and product propaganda, neither should therapeutic effectiveness be claimed.
Health food inspection registration adopts a dual track:
First track: Case Review
Operators are required to present process quantity control and experimental or scientific validation to file application at the Department of Health. After the Health Food Review Committee of the Department of Health evaluates the safety and efficacy with scientific proof and after passing review, the health food permit is issued. Claims of health effects are determined by individual product’s scientific validation results put forth. Products that have passed reviews will be given “wei-shu-jian-shi,tzu No. (wei-shu-jian-shi-tzu No. A00000) as well as the health food mark.
(2) Second track: Specification Standard Review
Product compositions in line with health food specification standards announced by the Department of Health and those whose theoretical health benefits have been established need not undergo health benefit testing. Currently, declared health food specification standards are comprised of two items: fish oil and red yeast rice. Those who have passed the test could declare the range of health effects are the same. Products that have passed reviews will be issued “wei-shu-jian-shi-gui-tzu (wei-shu-jian-shi-gui-tzu No. 000000) and health food mark.
Source: Health food illustration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare