ID 1280 -
Katechiny z zielonej herbaty
PL: Katechiny z zielonej herbaty
EN: Catechins – Green tea (camellia sinensis)
Pdf: Camellia sinensis
1. Charakterystyka żywności / składnika
The food constituent that is the subject of the health claims is Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze, catechins present in green tea, and epigallo-catechin-3-gallate.
In the wording of claim ID 1105, tannins and fluoride are named as active ingredients in tea in relation to a claimed effect on oral health. The Panel refers to its previous opinion on fluoride in the context of the evaluation of Article 13 claims (EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA), 2009); the effects of fluoride (irrespective of the source) on tooth mineralisation will not be considered further in this Opinion.
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 levels 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 level of fermentation, the production process, and the method for 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) and tannins in black tea (mainly theaflavin and thearubigin) 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 in green tea (including EGCG) and tannins in black tea (for ID 1105) are sufficiently characterised.
2.5. Utrzymanie prawidłowego wzroku (ID 1280)
The claimed effect is “eye health”. The Panel assumes that the target population is the general population.
The Panel considers that maintenance of normal vision is a beneficial physiological effect.
3.5. Utrzymanie prawidłowego wzroku (ID 1280)
The references provided included four articles, one describing the possible mechanisms of action of potentially active ingredients in tea (Kaszkin et al., 2004) and three in vitro studies, two of which provided evidence for a reduction in oxidative damage to the retina in response to injection of epigallocatechin (EGCG) into the vitreous humour of animal eyes (Zhang and Osborne, 2006; Zhang et al., 2007). The remaining in vitro study found a reduction in UV related lens damage in a range of animal eyes following immersion in a solution of EGCG (Zigman et al., 1999). The Panel considers that the evidence provided in in vitro studies is not sufficient to predict an effect of consumption of catechins from green tea on maintenance of normal vision in humans.
The Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of catechins in green tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze) and maintenance of normal vision.
Warunki i możliwe ograniczenia stosowania oświadczenia
Recommended dosage 100-500 mg EGCG or 200-1000 mg of catechins.
Catechins are active and functional polyphenol components of green tea leaves.
One cup (200ml) of brewed green tea may contain 100-150 mg of catechins.or equivalent of 50-60mg of EGCG.
The usual consumption of green tea is about 5-10 cups per day, which is equivalent to 500-1200 mg of catechins or 250-600 mg of EGCG per day.