EFSA health claim opinions
Kuntze: EFSA rejects green tea-guarana weight loss claims (and more)
Responding to a submission from NutriLinks via Cypriat authorities, EFSA’s Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) said the green tea-guarana (Paullinia cupana Kunth) blend was not proven to “help to burn fat”.
The dossier was not strong as it referenced only one study, but even that used only the Kuntze green tea extract and not guarana
“EFSA noted that the food constituent used in this study was not complying with the characterisation of the food for which the claim was requested,” wrote the NDA.
“The Panel considers that no conclusions can be drawn from this study for the scientific substantiation of a health claim on the combination of Paullinia cupana Kunth (guarana) and Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze (green tea) extracts.”
It therefore rejected the application.
The opinion can be found here.
More article 13.5 rejections
The NDA has since Friday issued nine article 13.5, proprietary and emerging science rejections under the EU nutrition and health claims regulation (NHCR).
They included another for NutriLinks linking Vitis vinifera L. seeds extract and, “maintenance of normal venous blood flow.”
There the NDA rejected two human intervention studies – one for lacking detail; the other for using a foodstuff that did not match that of the claim.
That rejection can be found here.
Vitis vinifera seeds were also rejected for decreasing swollen legs and ‘draining the body in the case of water accumulation'.
Two more NutriLinks submissions linking krill and joint health were turned down, along with one associating lycopene, vitamin E, lutein and selenium with tanning.
Another submission via Belgium from United Arab Emirates firm Actina sought to associate a kidney bean, olive and rosemary extract blend called OXY 280, with weight loss.
One randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study investigated the effect of OXY 280 vs placebo on body weight, BMI, and waist, hip and thigh circumferences in 60 overweight subjects.
In critiquing the study, the NDA said the study nor the applicant upon specific request did not clarify the usual diet of participants at baseline or during the study.
In addition, “The Panel notes that the results of between-group comparisons with respect to changes in the outcome variables assessed in the study were not provided in the application or upon EFSA’s request.”
“The Panel considers that the data as analysed do not allow the evaluation of the effect of the food constituent on changes in body weight relative to the placebo, and that no conclusions can be drawn from this study for the scientific substantiation of the claim.”
Other rejections included Roxlor Nutra’s submission that a sheep wool keratin supplement called Cynatine could maintain normal joint mobility.
The latest batch of opinionscome as the NHCR general function, article 13.1 health claim register of 222 approved and about 1700 non-approved register became enforceable on Friday.
To see EFSA health claims unit head, Dr Juliane Kleiner, define the agency’s approach to health claims click here.
