The Health Claims Nutrient Profiling Scoring Criteria Pilot Calculator (the Calculator) has been developed to assist food manufacturers, health professionals and enforcement agencies to determine if a food product is eligible to make a health claim based on its nutrient profile. Foods which are eligible also need to consider whether they meet the qualifying criteria for the particular property they are claiming (e.g. fat, fibre).

The Nutrient Profiling Scoring Criteria (the Criteria) were based on a nutrient profiling model, designed by M. Rayner and colleagues and adopted by the UK Food Standards Agency. Several modifications have been made by FSANZ to the UK model to adapt it for use to determine the eligibility of products to carry health claims. An additional food product category has been created to consider the eligibility of edible oils, edible oil spreads, margarine, butter and cheese with a calcium level >320 mg/100 g. The FSANZ model has been tested with over 10 000 foods using a compiled database of Australian and New Zealand food products.

Following the Preliminary Final Assessment Report for Proposal P293 - Nutrition, Health and Related Claims, minor amendments to the Criteria have been proposed to address key stakeholder concerns regarding the Calculator and to further refine the impact on particular foods. Click here for details on the changes that have been proposed to the Scoring Criteria in Schedule 1 of the draft Standard 1.2.7.

The above modifications are still being piloted and are subject to change until the Final Assessment Report and its recommendations have been approved by the FSANZ Board and notified to the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council (Ministerial Council). If the Ministerial Council does not request FSANZ review the draft amendments to the Code, an amendment to the Code is published in the Commonwealth Gazette and the New Zealand Gazette and adopted by reference and without amendment under Australian State and Territory food law.

Click here for more detailed information on the calculation methods for food eligible to make health claims.

Click here for information on the models examined for nutrient profiling. Please note this document does not extend to modelling beyond the PFAR.

Any comments or questions regarding the Health Claims Nutrient Profiling Calculator can be directed to nutrientprofiling@foodstandards.gov.au