ID 220 -
Bor
PL: Bor
EN: Boron
Pdf: boron
1. Charakterystyka żywności / składnika
The food constituent that is the subject of the health claims is boron, which occurs in foods as borate and boric acid and is measurable by established methods.
The Panel considers that the food constituent, boron, which is the subject of the health claims is sufficiently characterised.
2.2. Utrzymanie prawidłowego stanu stawów (ID 219, 220)
The claimed effect is “joint health”. The Panel assumes that the target group is the general population.
In the context of the proposed wordings, the Panel notes that these claimed effects relate to the maintenance of normal joints.
The Panel considers that the maintenance of normal joints is beneficial to human health.
3. Naukowe uzasadnienia wpływu na zdrowie człowieka
Boron has not been established to be an essential nutrient for humans and a dietary requirement for boron in humans has not been determined. Boron can act as an inhibitor of activity for a wide variety of enzymes in vitro; however, no boron-dependent enzyme has been identified. There is evidence that dietary boron may influence the metabolism of steroid hormones and some nutrients, including calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D, but the mechanisms for these effects are unknown. No specific physiological function for boron has been identified in higher animals or humans (EFSA, 2004; IoM, 2001; SCF, 1993; EVM, 2003; Devirian and Volpe, 2003).
3.2. Utrzymanie prawidłowego stanu stawów (ID 219, 220)
Most of the references provided for the substantiation of this claim were related to osteoporosis and not directly pertinent to the claimed effect.
The only human study presented was on the effects of boron in patients with severe osteoarthritis (OA) (Travers et al., 1990). OA is the most common joint disease worldwide (Issa and Sharma, 2006; Corti and Rigon, 2003; Arden and Nevitt, 2006) and a major cause of disability (Hunter et al., 2008; Pollard and Johnston, 2006; Sarzi-Puttini et al., 2005; Ethgen et al., 2004).
The Panel considers that the evidence provided does not establish that patients with OA are representative of the general population with regard to the status of joint tissues, or that results obtained in studies on subjects with OA relating to the treatment of symptoms of this disease (e.g. erosion of articular cartilage, reduced mobility of joints) can be extrapolated to the maintenance of the normal structure or function of joints in the general population. Therefore, no conclusions can be drawn form the study presented in relation to the claimed effect.
The Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of boron and the maintenance of normal joints.
Warunki i możliwe ograniczenia stosowania oświadczenia
0.8 – 1,5 mg of boric acid
Must meet minimum requirements for use of the claim "source of [name of vitamin/s] and/or [name of mineral/s]" as per Annex to Regulation 1924/2006
