Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of a health claim related to sugar beet fibre and decreasing intestinal transit time pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006

Abstract

Following an application from Nordic Sugar A/S, submitted pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 via the Competent Authority of Denmark, the Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies was asked to deliver an opinion on the scientific substantiation of a health claim based on newly developed scientific evidence related to sugar beet fibre and “decreasing intestinal transit time”. The food constituent that is the subject of the health claim is sugar beet fibre. This opinion applies to sugar beet fibre naturally present in foods and to those forms added to foods. The Panel considers that sugar beet fibre is sufficiently characterised in relation to the claimed effect. The claimed effect is “decreasing intestinal transit time”. The target population proposed by the applicant is people who want to improve or maintain normal bowel function. The Panel considers that decreasing intestinal (orofaecal) transit time may be a beneficial physiological effect. The applicant provided four human studies as pertinent to the health claim. The Panel considers that no conclusion can be drawn from three studies for the scientific substantiation of the claim owing to methodological weaknesses whereas one human intervention study showed no effect of the consumption of sugar beet fibre on decreasing intestinal (orofaecal) transit time. In weighing the evidence the Panel took into account that one human study from which conclusions could be drawn for the scientific substantiation of the claim showed no effect of sugar beet fibre on intestinal (orofaecal) transit time. The Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of sugar beet fibre and decreasing intestinal transit time.