FOODS INTENDED FOR USE IN 
ENERGY-RESTRICTED DIETS FOR WEIGHT REDUCTION ġ S.L.231.40 1
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 231.40
FOODS INTENDED FOR USE IN ENERGY-
RESTRICTED DIETS FOR WEIGHT REDUCTION 
REGULATIONS
31st March, 1999
Legal Notice 1 of 1999.
Title.
Energy-Restricted Diets for Weight Reduction Regulations.
Applicability of 
these regulations.
2.1 These regulations concern compositional and labelling
requirements for foods for particular nutritional use intended for
use in energy restricted diets for weight reduction and presented as
such.
2.2 These regulations shall not apply to foods intended
specifically for persons suffering from carbohydrate metabolism
disorders, such as diabetes.
Interpretation.
for weight reduction are specially formulated foods which, when
used as instructed by the manufacturer, replace the whole or part of
the total daily diet. They are divided into two categories:
( a ) products presented as a replacement for the whole of
the daily diet;
( b ) products presented as a replacement for one or more
meals of the daily diet.
Sale of food for use 
in energy-restricted 
diets for weight 
reduction.
4.1 No person shall manufacture, import, sell, keep for the
purpose of sale, or otherwise distribute any food intended for use in
for weight reduction unless it complies with the requirements of
these regulations.
4.2 All individual components making up products presented
as a replacement for the whole of the daily diet, as sold, shall be
contained in the same package.
Compositional 
criteria.
5.1 Foods falling within the scope of these regulations must
comply with the compositional criteria specified in the First
Schedule.
Labelling of foods 
for energy-reduced 
diets for weight 
reduction.
6.1 The name under which the product is sold shall be:
( a ) for products covered by regulation 3.1( a ), "Total diet
replacement for weight control";
( b ) for products covered by regulation 3.1( b ), "Meal
replacement for weight control".
S.L.231.27
6.2 The labelling of the products concerned shall bear, in
addition to those provided for in the Labelling, Presentation and
Advertising of Foodstuffs Regulations, the following mandatory
particulars:
( a ) the available energy value expressed in kJ and kcal,
and the content of proteins, carbohydrates and fat,
2 ġ S.L.231.40
FOODS INTENDED FOR USE IN 
ENERGY-RESTRICTED DIETS FOR WEIGHT REDUCTION
expressed in numerical form, per specified quantity of
the product ready for use as proposed for consumption;
( b ) the average quantity of each mineral and each vitamin
for which mandatory requirements are stipulated in
paragraph 5 of the First Schedule, expressed in
numerical form, per specified quantity of the product
ready for use as proposed for consumption. In
addition, for products mentioned in regulation 3.1( b ),
information on vitamins and minerals listed in the
table of paragraph 5 of the First Schedule shall also be
expressed as a percentage of the values as defined in
the Third Schedule;
( c ) instructions for appropriate preparation, when
necessary, and a statement as to the importance of
following those instructions;
( d ) if a product, when used as instructed by the
manufacturer, provides a daily intake of polyols in
excess of 20 g per day, there shall be a statement to the
effect that the food may have a laxative effect;
( e ) a statement on the importance of maintaining an
adequate daily fluid intake;
( f ) for products mentioned in regulation 3.1( a ) -
(i) a statement that the product provides adequate
amounts of all essential nutrients for the day;
(ii) a statement that the product should not be used
for more than three weeks without medical
advice;
( g ) for products mentioned in regulation 3.1( b ), a
statement to the effect that the products are useful for
the intended use only as part of an energy-restricted
diet and that other foodstuffs should be a necessary
part of such diet.
6.3 The labelling, advertising and presentation of the products
concerned shall not make any reference to the rate or amount of
weight loss which may result from their use or to a reduction in the
sense of hunger or an increase in the sense of satiety.
FOODS INTENDED FOR USE IN 
ENERGY-RESTRICTED DIETS FOR WEIGHT REDUCTION ġ S.L.231.40 3
FIRST SCHEDULE
Essential Composition of Foods for Energy-Restricted Diets
The specifications refer to the products ready for use,
marketed as such or reconstituted as instructed by the
manufacturer.
1. Energy
1.1 The energy provided by a product mentioned in regulation
3.1( a ) shall not be less than 3,360 kJ (800 kcal) and shall not
exceed 5,040 kJ (1,200 kcal) for the total daily ration.
1.2 The energy provided by a product mentioned in regulation
3.1( b ), shall not be less than 840 kJ (200 kcal) and shall not exceed
1,680 kJ (400 kcal) per meal.
2. Protein
2.1 The protein contained in products mentioned in regulation
3.1( a ) and ( b ) shall provide not less than 25% and not more than
50% of the total energy of the product. In any case the amount of
protein of products mentioned in regulation 3.1( a ) shall not exceed
125 g. 
2.2 The above mentioned provisions on protein refer to a
protein the chemical index of which is equal to that of the FAD/
WHO (1985) reference protein given in the Second Schedule. If the
chemical index is lower than 100% of the reference protein, the
minimum protein levels shall be correspondingly increased. In any
case the chemical index of the protein shall at least be equal to 80%
of that of the reference protein.
2.3 The "chemical index" shall mean the lowest of the ratios
between the quantity of each essential amino acid of the test protein
in and the quantity of each corresponding amino acid of the
reference protein.
2.4 In all cases, the addition of amino acids is permitted solely
for the purpose of improving the nutritional value of the proteins,
and only in the proportions necessary for that purpose.
3. Fat
3.1 The energy derived from fat shall not exceed 30% of the
total available energy of the product.
3.2 For products mentioned in regulation 3.1( a ), the linoleic
acid content (in the form of glycerides) shall not be less than 4.5 g.
3.3 For products mentioned in regulation 3.1( b ), the linoleic
acid (in the form of glycerides) shall not be less than 1 g.
4. Dietary fibre
The dietary fibre content of products mentioned in
regulation 3.1( a ) shall not be less than 10 g and shall not exceed 30
g for the daily ration.
5. Vitamins and minerals
5.1 The products mentioned in regulation 3.1( a ) shall provide
for the whole of the daily diet at least 100% of the amounts of
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FOODS INTENDED FOR USE IN 
ENERGY-RESTRICTED DIETS FOR WEIGHT REDUCTION
vitamins and minerals specified in the Table in this Schedule.
5.2 The products mentioned in regulation 3.1( b ) shall provide
at least 30% of the amounts of vitamins and minerals specified in
the Table per meal; however, the amount of potassium per meal
provided by these products shall be at least 500 mg.
Vitamin A µg RE 700
Vitamin D µg 5
Vitamin E mg-TE 10
Vitamin C mg 45
Thiamin mg 1.1
Riboflavin mg 1.6
Niacin mg-NE 18
Vitamin B 6 mg 1.5
Folate µg 200
Vitamin B 12 µg 1.4
Biotin µg 15
Pantothenic acid mg 3
Calcium mg 700
Phosphorus mg 550
Potassium mg 3100
Iron mg 16
Zinc mg 9.5
Copper mg 1.1
Iodine µg 130
Selenium µg 55
Sodium mg 575
Magnesium mg 150
Manganese mg 1
FOODS INTENDED FOR USE IN 
ENERGY-RESTRICTED DIETS FOR WEIGHT REDUCTION ġ S.L.231.40 5
SECOND SCHEDULE
Amino Acid Requirement Pattern 1
g/100 g protein
Cystine + methionine 1.7
Histidine 1.6
Isoleucine 1.3
Leucine 1.9
Lysine 1.6
Phenylalanine + tyrosine 1.9
Threonine 0.9
Tryptophan 0.5
Valine 1.3
1 World Health Organisation. Energy and Protein Requirements. Report of a
Joint FAO/WHO/UNU Meeting. Geneva: World Health Organisation, 1985
(WHO Technical Report Series, 724).
6 ġ S.L.231.40
FOODS INTENDED FOR USE IN 
ENERGY-RESTRICTED DIETS FOR WEIGHT REDUCTION
THIRD SCHEDULE
Vitamins and Minerals and their Recommended Daily Allowances 
(RDAs)
Vitamin A µg 800
Vitamin D µg 5
Vitamin E mg 10
Vitamin C mg 60
Thiamin mg 1.4
Riboflavin mg 1.6
Niacin mg 18
Vitamin B 6 mg 2
Folacin µg 200
Vitamin B 12 µg 1
Biotin mg 0.15
Pantothenic acid mg 6
Calcium mg 800
Phosphorus mg 800
Iron mg 14
Magnesium mg 300
Zinc mg 15
Iodine µg 150
