Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of a health claim related to sugar beet fibre and increasing faecal bulk 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 “increasing faecal bulk”. The food constituent that is the subject of the health claim is sugar beet fibre. The Panel considers that sugar beet fibre is sufficiently characterised in relation to the claimed effect. The claimed effect is “increasing faecal bulk”. Increasing faecal bulk may be a beneficial physiological effect. The applicant provided four human and three animal studies. The Panel considers that no conclusions can be drawn from two human studies for the scientific substantiation of the claim. The other two human studies showed an effect of the consumption of sugar beet fibre on increasing faecal bulk. The evidence obtained from three animal studies supports the evidence from human studies. The mechanism by which sugar beet fibre exerts the claimed effect is established. In weighing the evidence the Panel took into account that two human intervention studies showed that consumption of sugar beet fibre increases faecal bulk, that the evidence provided by three animal studies supports that effect, and that the mechanisms by which sugar beet fibre exerts the claimed effect are established. The Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has been established between the consumption of sugar beet fibre and increasing faecal bulk. The following wording reflects the scientific evidence: “Sugar beet fibre increases faecal bulk”. In order to bear the claim a food should be at least “high in fibre” as per the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. The target population is the general population.