25 August – The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has raised question marks over a number of health claims made by food manufacturers about their products after refusing to endorse almost 90% of them as it delivered the first of its opinions.
In the first eight cases where the food safety watchdog has published its opinions on health claims, EFSA gave its backing to just one submission on the available evidence, while failing to be convinced by the other seven. The body is expected to issue opinions on hundreds of health claims by 2010.
EFSA’s Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) panel agreed that Unilever’s product containing plant sterols had the potential to reduce cholesterol levels and fight heart disease had demonstrated its claim.
But the committee added the product should only be used by those "who need and want to lower their blood cholesterol and that patients on cholesterol-lowering medication should only consume the product under medical supervision."
The Parma-based body queried claims that dairy products helped promote good teeth and healthy body weight in children.
An EFSA statement said: “A cause and effect relationship is not established between the consumption of milk or cheese and dental health in children (or) a healthy body weight in children and adolescents.”
It said the claims made by the Irish National dairy Council could not be endorsed because it had failed to submit robust enough evidence to prove its claim or to define the type of dairy products precisely enough.