ID 1123 - Herbata

PL: Herbata
EN: Camelia sinensis (Common Name : Tea)
Pdf: Camellia sinensis

Oświadczenie (2)

1. Charakterystyka żywności / składnika

The food/constituents that are the subjects of the health claims are Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze, catechins present in green tea, epigallo-catechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and green tea extract rich in EGCG.
The plant Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze is an evergreen shrub of the Theaceae family. Tea is an extract of the dried leaves from Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze and it is usually prepared by infusing the leaves in hot water. The composition of the tea leaves depends on a variety of factors, including climate, season, horticultural practices, and the type and age of the plant. Many kinds of tea are produced, which can be classified into three major types according to the different degrees of fermentation: green (un-fermented), oolong (semi-fermented) and black (fully fermented) (Wang et al., 2000).
The composition of tea beverages greatly depends on the type of leaves used, on the degree of fermentation and on the methods of preparation (Kaszkin et al., 2004; Astill et al., 2001). The degree of fermentation, the production process and the method of preparing the tea infusion have not been described in relation to the claims.
Green tea contains polyphenolic compounds, which include flavanols, flavandiols, flavonoids and phenolic acids. Most of the polyphenols in green tea are catechins. Epigallo-catechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is the most abundant catechin in green tea. In black teas, the most abundant polyphenols are tannins, mainly theaflavin and thearubigin (Mukhtar and Ahmad, 2000). Tea extracts/infusions also contain variable amounts of potentially active food constituents, such as caffeine, theanine or theogallin.
Green tea catechins (including EGCG) can be measured in foods by established methods.
The Panel considers that whereas Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze (tea) is not sufficiently characterised in relation to the claimed effects, catechins from green tea (including EGCG) are sufficiently characterised.

2.2. Zwiększenia beta-oksydacji kwasów tłuszczowych prowadzące do redukcji tkanki tłuszczowej (ID 1123, 1124, 3698)

The claimed effects are “resting metabolic rate and thermogenesis”, “fat metabolism” and “supports metabolism/fat oxidation”. The Panel assumes the target population is overweight individuals in the general population who wish to reduce their fat mass.
In the context of the proposed wordings, the Panel assumes that the claimed effects refer to an increased beta-oxidation of fat and fatty acids, which is a measurable outcome. An increase in fat oxidation may lead to a decrease in body fat, which might be considered a beneficial physiological effect.
The Panel considers that an increased beta-oxidation of fatty acids leading to a reduction in body fat mass is a beneficial physiological effect.

3.2. Zwiększenia beta-oksydacji kwasów tłuszczowych prowadzące do redukcji tkanki tłuszczowej (ID 1123, 1124, 3698)

The references provided for the substantiation of this claim included narrative reviews on food constituents other than tea or tea catechins; narrative reviews on the health effects of oolong tea, green tea, and/or EGCG; human intervention studies which assessed the interaction between GTCs and caffeine on different outcomes including fat oxidation, but which did not provide original data; studies on the effects of oolong tea on energy expenditure and fat oxidation but which did not report on the catechin content of the study materials; and studies and reviews on the mechanisms by which tea/EGCG could mediate different effects, including an increase in fat oxidation.
Only one one-arm, open label intervention study in humans was provided which assessed the effects of a green tea extract containing 25 % EGCG on body weight and waist circumference in moderately obese subjects for three months (Chantre and Lairon, 2002). Changes in body fat were not reported. The Panel considers that no conclusions can be drawn from this uncontrolled study for the scientific substantiation of the claimed effect.
The Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of catechins (including EGCG) from green tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze) and an increased beta-oxidation of fatty acids leading to a reduction in body fat mass.

Warunki i możliwe ograniczenia stosowania oświadczenia

The product must contain at least 200 milligrams Camellia sinensis extract per serving and delivering at least 90 mg EGCG per serving Claim to be used for foods for active individuals