EFSA health claim opinion

EFSA rejects kids' probiotic gut health claim

Forget it kid, it won't help...
Forget it kid, it won't help...

Related tags Gut flora

EFSA’s Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) has turned down a probiotic-children’s gut health claim from Italian company Centro Sperimentale del Latte because of non-characterised strains and a non-beneficial claim.

Centro Sperimentale del Latte submitted an article 14 claim for children between 3 months and 14 years that stated a combination of Lactobacillus delbrueckii​ subsp.bulgaricus​ AY/CSL (LMG P-17224) and Streptococcus thermophilus​ 9Y/CSL (LMG P-17225) could have a “beneficial modulation of the intestinal microflora".

Aside form the non-characterisation problem, the NDA said the company failed to respond to its questions demanding further information about the claim, and affirmed its controversial position on gut microflora.

“Increasing the number of any group of microorganisms, including lactobacilli and/or bifidobacteria, is not considered in itself a beneficial physiological effect,”​ it wrote.

“Thus the applicant was requested to provide the rationale regarding the extent to which the claimed effect is a beneficial physiological effect. No reply was received from the applicant to the Panel’s request for supplementary information.”

“The Panel considers that no evidence has been provided by the applicant to establish that the claimed effect, “beneficial modulation of the intestinal microflora", is a beneficial physiological effect.”

Centro Sperimentale del Latte was not available for comment at the time of publication.

The opinion can be found here.

Related news

Related products

show more

Whitepaper: Discover a new era in postbiotics

Whitepaper: Discover a new era in postbiotics

Content provided by DSM Nutritional Products | 28-Nov-2023 | White Paper

Postbiotic ingredients are set to open up a world of opportunities across the human health and nutrition industry, fueled by developing science demonstrating...

Related suppliers

Follow us

Products

View more

Webinars