European perspective on garlic and its regulation

Abstract

Garlic products are marketed in the European Union (EU) as foodstuffs and as herbal medicinal products. All EU countries have garlic foodstuffs on their markets. In contrast, garlic medicinal products are available only in a limited number of EU member states. This difference is due to discrepancies among the national laws of EU member states. This article gives an overview of the status of garlic products in EU countries and their approved medical claims and discusses legislative options for the authorization of garlic products as medicinal products. Developments in the food area that could affect the status of and health claims on garlic foodstuffs are also presented. © 2006 American Society for Nutrition.