ID 1796 -
Karoteonidy (alfa-karoten, beta-karoten, gamma-karoten, likopen)
PL: Karoteonidy (alfa-karoten, beta-karoten, gamma-karoten, likopen)
EN: Carotenoids (alpha, beta and gamma carotene, lycopene)
Pdf:
1.6. Carotenoids (ID 1496, 1621, 1622, 1796)
The food constituents that are the subject of the claims are “carotenoids from fruits and vegetables juices”, “natural palm oil carotenes” and “carotenoids (alpha, beta and gamma carotene, lycopene)”, related to the following claimed effects: “antioxidant properties/protection of DNA”, “health during pregnancy/bioavailability” and “skin”.
In the context of the proposed wordings, conditions of use and references provided, the Panel assumes that the food constituent, which is the subject of the claims, is carotenoids.
Carotenoids are a class of more than 600 naturally occurring, tetraterpenoid organic pigments synthesised by plants and other photosynthetic organisms like algae, some types of fungi and bacteria. These richly coloured molecules are the sources of the yellow, orange and red colours of many plants. The most common carotenoids in European diets are alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, beta- cryptoxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin and lycopene. Carotenoids can be broadly classified into two classes: carotenes (alpha-carotene, beta-carotene and lycopene) and xanthophylls (beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein and zeaxanthin).
Some carotenoids can be converted by the body to retinol (vitamin A) and are therefore provitamin A carotenoids (e.g. alpha-carotene, beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin), whereas others have no vitamin A activity (e.g. lutein, zeaxanthin and lycopene). The long system of alternating double and single bonds (conjugated double bonds) common to all carotenoids allows them to absorb light in the visible range of the spectrum. However, whether (and the extent to which) different carotenoids are able to exert an effect on, for example, lipid peroxidation in vitro, depends on their structure, which determines distinct membrane lipid interactions.
The Panel notes that different carotenoids may have different antioxidant and pro-vitamin A activities, and a different capacity to absorb UV-radiation in the different tissues where they accumulate.
The references provided in relation to this claim related to health effects of different single carotenoids, of different specific carotenoid mixtures (e.g. Heinrich et al., 2003; Kiokias and Gordon, 2003), or of red palm oil (e.g. Lietz et al., 2006), carotenoid-rich palm oil (e.g. Olmedilla et al., 2002) or palm fruit carotenoid complexes which were not characterised with respect to their carotenoid composition.
The Panel refers to the opinions addressing the relationship between the consumption of single carotenoids (lycopene, beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, meso-zeaxanthin) and different claimed effects, including protection of DNA, protein and lipids from oxidative damage, protection of the skin from UV-induced (including photo-oxidative) damage, and vision (EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products Nutrition and Allergies (NDA), 2009, 2010a, 2010b, 2010c, 2011a).
The Panel considers that the food constituent, carotenoids, which is the subject of the claims, is not sufficiently characterised in relation to the claimed effects considered in this section.
The Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship cannot be established between the consumption of carotenoids and the claimed effects considered in this section.
Warunki i możliwe ograniczenia stosowania oświadczenia
Food supplement with 10 mg of carotenoids (alpha, beta and gamma carotene, lycopene) in the daily dose.
