Preventing doping: a framework for sports foods and supplements

In the absence of European regulations, a group of 18 countries, led by France, has come together to propose a framework of best practices to limit the risk of doping substances being present in foods and food supplements intended for athletes.

Over the past few months, the health crisis has had a particularly adverse effect on the population’s sporting activities. But as of today, and in line with the strategy of reopening establishments and resuming all physical and sporting activities, citizens can once again find their way to the gyms!

Sport also rhymes with energy bars, recovery drinks, gel pods, powders and vitamin and mineral mixes… But in a dense food and dietary supplements market, what guarantees are there as to the quality of these very specific products?

A European standard to limit the risks of doping

European consumers and manufacturers can now rely on the European standard NF EN 17444 to deal with the risks associated with products fraudulently presented as food or dietary supplements for athletes. The fruit of an initiative led by the French Ministry of Sports and French manufacturers of sports products for over ten years, with the support and scientific expertise of Anses, this European standard has its origins in a French standard(NF V94-001), published in 2012.

The new NF EN 17444 standard has one ambition: to ensure the quality of a European market increasingly confronted with the sale of unreliable products, access to which has been facilitated by online purchasing, particularly from outside Europe. This standard promotes good practice in the research, development and manufacture of foodstuffs and food supplements for athletes. It is also the tangible culmination of collaboration between food manufacturers and parties involved in the fight against doping.

A new protective label on consumer products

This standard is based on the health risk management tools used to manufacture food, and guarantees the absence of doping substances listed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). It specifies the safety principles to be adopted by manufacturers concerning the skills of personnel involved in the manufacturing process, the quality of ingredients, suppliers’ compliance with a series of commitments, the control and traceability of processes and products, and the analysis of the finished product.

From now on, manufacturers who choose to comply with the new standard will be able to display the following statement: ” This product has been developed and manufactured in accordance with the requirements of standard NF EN 17444 at the date of production of the batch. “. This label gives consumers and athletes the security they need to choose products free of banned substances.

you may also be interested in our thematic dossier on food safety.