Quality and safety of botanical food products and their labelling

Plants or botanicals are commonly used in both foods and medicines because they contain many different biologically active substances with very different physiological activities. However, the borderline between these uses is often unclear and depends on several factors, including the content of botanicals and their constituents (and their physiological/pharmacological effects), the labelling of a finished product (i.e. the use of health or medicinal claims) and the territory in which a product is being sold. In the European Union, legislation covering the food use of botanicals is not yet harmonised and there are significant differences between countries although, in general, the quality, safety and labelling of those products should comply with all provisions of food law.