ID 1680 - Dekstryny z pszenicy

PL: Dekstryny z pszenicy
EN: Wheat dextrin
Pdf: wheat dextrin

Oświadczenie (2)

1. Charakterystyka żywności / składnika

The food constituent that is the subject of the claim is “wheat dextrin”.
Based on the information provided, the wheat dextrin that is the subject of the claim has a mean molecular weight of 5,344g/mol. The degree of polymerisation is from 15 to 18 glucose units of which 24 % in α-1,6 linkage (Pasman et al., 2006; Van Den Heuvel et al., 2004; Vermorel et al., 2004).
The Panel notes that the food constituent which is the subject of the health claims is a specific commercial preparation of wheat dextrin.
The Panel considers that the food constituent, wheat dextrin in the specific preparation, which is the subject of this opinion is sufficiently characterised in relation to the claimed effects.

2.8. Utrzymanie prawidłowego funkcjonowania jelit (ID 843, 1680)

The claimed effect is “bowel health/digestive health/bowel movement”. The Panel assumes that the target population is the general population.
In the context of the proposed wordings, the Panel assumes that the claimed effect refers to bowel regularity.
Changes in bowel habits within the normal range e.g. reduced transit time, increased frequency of bowel movements or increased bulk of stools might be considered as improved bowel function.
The Panel considers that maintenance of normal bowel function might be a beneficial physiological effect.

3.7. Utrzymanie prawidłowego funkcjonowania jelit (ID 843, 1680)

Nine references were cited for the substantiation of the claim. One reference was incompletely cited and two references were not accessible to the Panel despite efforts to retrieve them.
The paper by Satouchi et al. (1993) related to “indigestible dextrin from potato starch”, which is not wheat dextrin, the review by Schley and Field (2002) addressed immune-enhancing effects of dietary fibres and the study of Wisker et al. (1998) compared in vitro with in vivo fermentation of mixed diets. The Panel considers that no conclusions can be drawn from these references for the scientific substantiation of the claimed effect.
Van den Heuvel et al. (2004), investigated the tolerance of increasing doses of commercially available wheat dextrin (0, 10, 30, 60 and 0, 15, 45, 80 grams per day) in 20 healthy male volunteers using a randomised placebo-controlled, multiple-dose double blind cross-over design. No significant effect on defecation frequency was observed at the proposed conditions of use.
Pasman et al. (2006) studied faecal and blood parameters, body weight, energy intake and colon microbiota, and monitored gastrointestinal discomfort in 48 male healthy subjects consuming either 22.5 gram maltodextrin, or 30 or 45 gram wheat dextrin daily for 4-5 weeks. No effect was found on dry and wet weight of the faeces and the effect on intestinal transit time and frequency of stools was not measured.
Finally, Vermorel et al. (2004) studied faecal output and tolerance, metabolisable energy and mineral absorption after wheat dextrin intervention. After a progressive adaptation of 18 days (from 20 to 100 grams per day), 10 male healthy volunteers received 100 grams wheat dextrin or dextrose for another 13 days using a cross-over design. A significant increase of both wet and dry faecal output was found but differences in the number of defecations were not significantly different. The Panel notes the small sample size of the study and that the dose studied was considerably higher than what is proposed in the conditions of use, both of which limit the value of the study as a source of data to substantiate the claimed effect.
In weighing the evidence, the Panel took into account that only one study reported an effect of wheat dextrin on stool weight in a small sample of subjects at a dose that was considerably higher than the
doses proposed in the conditions of use, while the two other human intervention studies provided did not show an effect on the outcomes which were related to the claimed effects.
The Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of “wheat dextrin” and maintenance of normal bowel function.

Warunki i możliwe ograniczenia stosowania oświadczenia

AI for total fiber (IOM): 26-38 g/day (ideally 8.5-12.5 g/day soluble fiber)