ID 1152 -
Gumy do żucia bez cukru
PL: Gumy do żucia bez cukru
EN: Sugar-free chewing gum
Pdf: sugar-free chewing gum
1. Charakterystyka żywności / składnika
The food that is the subject of the health claim is sugar-free chewing gum. The composition of the gum, i.e. gum base and sweetening agent, is unspecified. The characteristic components of chewing gums are the gum base, which may comprise a complex mixture of elastomers, natural and synthetic resins, fats, emulsifiers, waxes, antioxidants, and filler, and the sweetening and flavouring agents (Rømer Rassing, 1996; Imfeld, 1999). The common characteristic of sugar-free chewing gums is the absence of fermentable carbohydrates (Edgar, 1998; Ly et al., 2008). The ingredients are well characterised, can be measured by established methods, and the principles of the manufacturing process have been described (Rømer Rassing, 1996). Many ingredients in the gum base and most sweetening agents used in sugar-free chewing gums occur naturally in foods.
Gums with specific active ingredients, such as urea, carbamide or fluoride, are not included in this evaluation.
The Panel considers that the food, sugar-free chewing gum, which is the subject of the health claims, is sufficiently characterised in relation to the claimed effects.
2.5. Osiąganie lub utrzymywanie prawidłowej masy ciała (ID 1152)
The claimed effect is “weight management”. The Panel assumes that the target population is the general population.
Weight management can be interpreted as the contribution to the maintenance of a normal body weight. In this context even a moderate weight loss in overweight subjects without achieving a normal body weight is considered beneficial to health.
The Panel considers that the maintenance or achievement of a normal body weight is beneficial to human health.
3. Naukowe uzasadnienia wpływu na zdrowie człowieka -
Chewing and taste confer physiologic stimulation to the secretory cells of the salivary glands via autonomic nerve signalling (Anderson et al., 1998; Wong, 2008). At rest, low amounts of saliva are secreted (mean 0.2 ml/min), but chewing and taste stimulation may increase saliva flow more than 10 fold. Elevated secretion is maintained even after extended stimulation. The main component of saliva is water, with rinsing and dilution effects. Saliva also contains an array of other components (e.g. minerals, mucins and other proteins and peptides) with relevant biological functions, such as buffering of acids, bacteria regulatory effects, lubrication, or crystal formation (Screebny, 2000; Wong, 2008). The relationship between flow rate and concentrations of various saliva components varies. As flow rate increases, the concentration of calcium and bicarbonate in saliva increases, whereas the concentration of many proteins decreases significantly (Anderson et al., 1998; Wong, 2008).
Salivary factors of possible relevance for “oral health” differ between tissues. For the hard tissues (i.e., enamel, dentin), rinsing of debris, dilution, de- and remineralisation, pH neutralisation, and regulation of the bacterial community on the teeth are relevant, whereas flushing and innate immunity proteins and peptides, among others, are relevant for soft tissues (Screebny, 2000; Wong, 2008).
Tooth hydroxyapatite crystals are very resistant to dissolution at neutral pH, but their solubility drastically increases as pH drops. Typically the critical pH for dental enamel is around 5.5 and for dentin 6.2. Buffering of acids (i.e. pH normalisation) and limiting the duration of periods of pH drop resulting from metabolic acid production by saccharolytic bacteria at carbohydrate exposure may
prevent demineralisation and promote remineralisation of the hydroxyapatite crystals. Calcium, phosphate, and fluoride in saliva, plaque fluid, and the inter-crystal water are key components for maintaining intact hydroxyapatite crystals. If appropriate concentrations of these ions are available (ionic equilibrium), demineralised crystals may re-mineralise when pH rises. Thus, any actions contributing to the ionic equilibrium may prevent demineralisation and promote remineralisation of the hydroxyapatite crystals (ten Cate et al., 2008).
In the absence of fermentable carbohydrates, no clinically relevant reduction on plaque pH may be expected by the consumption of sugar-free chewing gum (FDA, 1996; Edgar, 1998; Imfeld, 1999; Touger-Decker and van Loveren, 2003).
3.4. Osiąganie lub utrzymywanie prawidłowej masy ciała (ID 1152)
The orosensory stimulation associated with eating is key to the development of satiation. Foods that require a greater amount of chewing, and hence are present in the mouth for longer, appear to enhance the orosensory stimulation, resulting in a greater suppression of appetite (Lavin et al., 2002) and food intake (Hetherington and Boyland, 2007). However, it is not clear whether these short term effects on food intake are maintained over time.
Copies of a petition to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by the Calorie Control Council and an acknowledgement of receipt from the FDA to the petition were provided as supporting evidence for this claim. However, this document does not appear to contain a response from FDA (Citizen Petition, 2003; FDA, 2004).
Studies cited in the petition from The Calorie Control Council evaluated effects of polyols and synthetic sweetening agents used in sugar-free products on weight maintenance as part of a complete diet-and-exercise programme (Berryman et al., 1968; Kanders et al., 1988, 1996; Blackburn et al., 1997; Morris et al., 1989; Tordoff and Alleva, 1990; Raben et al., 2002). However, sugar-free chewing gum was not directly tested in any of the cited studies. The remaining human studies contained within the petition report data on food intake and/or appetite but did not address the influence of sugar-free chewing gum on body weight and were thus not considered pertinent to the claimed effect.
Of the three papers provided in support of the claim, two related to sugar-free chewing gum and one to sugar-free pastilles. However, none of these studies considered the influence of these products on body weight and were thus not considered pertinent to support the claimed effect (Hetherington and Boyland, 2007; Levine et al., 1999, Lavin et al., 2002).
In weighing the evidence, the Panel took into account that no studies were presented on the effects of sugar-free chewing gum consumption on either body weight loss or body weight maintenance.
The Panel considers that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of sugar-free chewing gum and the maintenance or achievement of a normal body weight.
Warunki i możliwe ograniczenia stosowania oświadczenia
Use after eating or between meals
Use in place of snacking
Use before eating
