Recently the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine passed the bill “On Changes to the Law ‘On Children’s Food’” that sets tougher production standards for children’s food. From now on the manufacturers have no right to use genetically modified raw materials or those containing hormonal agents, antibiotics, heavy metals, pesticides, radioactive nuclides or any other agents hazardous to the child’s health. Among the banned components are synthetic food aromatizers, dyes, sweeteners (except for products meant for diabetic children), preservatives, stabilizers, flavoring agents, spice mixes with prohibited additives, certain fats like margarine, spread, cottonseed and sesame oil, etc. The law prohibits the use of meat after mechanical deboning, pig rinds, certain food subproducts, soy protein, etc., in meat-based baby foods, and the same applies to refrozen fish and meat.
Olesia Kravchenko-Fisiun, representative of HiPP Ukraine, told The Day: “Manufacturers who care about their reputation and treat their customers in a responsible manner will take into consideration all clauses of this law. Our company approves of the new law on children’s food products, considering that it imposes stricter production standards and lifts the ban on the use of starch and wheat flour. These components of children’s diet are extremely important. They were banned by Article 9 of the Law of Ukraine ‘On Children’s Food’ enacted in 2006.
“This particular clause of the article was a mistake that cost the baby food companies the rescinding of several certificates of conformity. This article, instead of banning the use of food starch and wheat flour in making only meat products for children, prohibits these components in making all baby foods. As a result, 60 percent of such foods would vanish from the shelves in Ukraine, including certain kinds of formula milk, gruel, cookies, and fruit and vegetable sauces. All this made the revising of this law a pressing necessity, as Ukraine remains the world’s only country where these components are banned despite their being of vital importance for the baby’s normal development.”
On the one hand, the new law is meant to improve baby food’s quality. On the other hand, the question is whether the domestic manufacturers are prepared to meet the new requirements, considering that the ban on a number of components calls for new production approaches — and considerable investments.
