When it comes to food supplement labelling, Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs) play a crucial role in helping consumers understand their daily intake of essential nutrients. These values, established by authoritative bodies such as the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), represent the recommended amount of each nutrient needed to meet the requirements of the average healthy person.

What Are NRVs and Why Are They Important?

NRVs are benchmarks that help consumers gauge how much of a given nutrient is provided by a food supplement relative to the recommended daily intake. For example, if a label indicates that a supplement provides 50% of the NRV for vitamin C, the consumer understands that this product covers half of their daily requirement for this vitamin.

The inclusion of NRVs on food supplement labels is important because it:

• Provides transparency and allows consumers to make informed choices about their dietary needs.
• Helps avoid underconsumption or overconsumption of essential nutrients.
• Ensures that consumers are aware of how the product fits into their overall diet.

NRVs vs. Upper Limits (ULs)

While NRVs represent the recommended daily intake of a nutrient, Upper Limits (ULs) refer to the maximum amount of a nutrient that can be safely consumed without risk of adverse effects. Unlike NRVs, ULs are not usually displayed on food supplement labels. However, they are crucial for manufacturers when formulating products, ensuring that doses remain within safe consumption levels.

For example, while the NRV for vitamin D is 5 micrograms, the UL is much higher. Including NRVs on labels helps consumers understand how much they’re consuming in relation to the recommended daily intake, but it’s equally important that the amount in the product doesn’t approach unsafe levels (i.e., the UL).

Why Do NRVs Only Apply to Certain Nutrients?

NRVs are calculated for vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients like iron, calcium, and vitamin D because these nutrients are vital for maintaining health and preventing deficiencies. Nutrients without established NRVs either do not have enough data to support recommendations, or their deficiency is not a common public health concern.

Conclusion

In summary, NRVs on supplement labels provide consumers with a clear understanding of how a product fits into their daily nutrient requirements. While ULs guide manufacturers in ensuring safety, NRVs help consumers avoid nutrient deficiencies while using supplements as part of a balanced diet. Informing customers about these values ensures they can make informed and healthy choices when selecting supplements.