Categories

Health Intelligence – misguiding the public?

Update 15 May 2012: I have been sent evidence that “horse chestnut” (listed as “esculin”) was scheduled as S3 in December 1979.

Posted 12 May 2012

Health Intelligence magazine states on its front cover as a byline: “The Science of Health.” In its advertising blurb on its associated company Solal Technologies’ website, it is stated to be “Sophisticated. Cutting edge. Credible.” The editorials in Edition 15 (May 2012) are however misleading, and disturbingly so.

The first [text] editorial by Colin Levin bemoans the new food labelling regulations from the Department of Health as having gone too far “[i]n their noble intention to prevent (sic) consumers from misleading claims.” He even quotes the Health Products Association of South Africa (HPA) which is “disappointed” that the regulations don’t address the relationship between certain food (sic) and various diseases.

So what’s the problem?

If Mr Levin and/or his editorial team Read the rest

Sweeteners illegally being sold and used in South Africa

Posted 03 November 2011

All sweeteners entering South Africa have to be approved by the Directorate Food Control of the Department of Health before being permitted for sale or use, whether directly marketed to consumers or for use in manufacturing.

On Friday 21 October 2011, the draft regulations pertaining to sweeteners were published in the Government Gazette (Notice R880, Gazette No.34699 page 3) for a three month comment period. The two sweeteners, stevia (steviol) and erythritol, are directly governed by these regulations and would therefore be illegal until the comment period is over and the final regulations published. As the draft regulations and that comment period expire on 21 Jan 2012, at least until some time after that when the final regulations are published, these products can be considered “illegal”.  

Solal have been selling and using the sweeteners “steviol” and “erythritol” for some time now – these are NOT yet Read the rest