Health claims face rejection
Only a tiny proportion of health claims applications linking diet and mood/cognition are likely to gain approval under the EU health claims Regulation, scientists have predicted.
Keyword-based searches of the 4,185-strong list of 'article 13' applications just released on the European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA's) website reveal more than 100 brain/diet-related submissions covering everything from omega-3 fatty acids to panax ginseng, gingko biloba, cherries, tea catechins, phosphatidyl-serine and lemon balm.
But applicants should prepare for rejection, said professor David Benton, an expert on the link between diet and cognition at the University of Wales.
He said: "There is little doubt diet can influence mood and cognition but there is not yet a sufficient body of data that allows a specific or even general claim to be made. There has simply been too little research. The fatty acid story is a good example. There are relatively few studies and where they exist they have rarely used the same formulation twice, making generalisations virtually impossible."
Dr Nino Binns, who co-wrote an influential paper advising manufacturers how to prepare article 13 submissions, added: "The psychological claims area will be particularly challenging."
However, many suppliers believe long-chain omega-3 fatty acids and brain function claims will make the grade, even if many others are rejected. Jerry Luff at fish oil supplier Nu-Mega, said he was "reasonably confident" of success. However, many firms were waiting to see if brain health claims were approved before embarking on new functional food projects he said.
l Binns will update delegates on the health claims regulation at Food Manufacture's Food Labelling in the Dock conference on February 12. For details see: http://www.foodanddrinkevents.com/foodman
