ID 4250 - Lecytyna

PL: Lecytyna
EN: Lecithin
Pdf: various food(s)/food constituent(s)

Oświadczenie (2)

1. Charakterystyka żywności / składnika

The food constituent that is the subject of the health claims is lecithin/phospatidyl choline.
Lecithin is a common name for phosphatidyl cholines. However, this term has also been used to designate commercial preparations from different sources in which the most abundant phospholipid is phosphatidyl choline. For the purpose of this opinion, the term phosphatidyl choline will be used to denote glycerol molecules esterified with two fatty acids and one phosphocholine molecule, whereas the term “lecithin” will only be used in reference to commercially available lecithin preparations.
The fatty acid composition of phosphatidyl cholines varies depending on the source. Phosphatidyl cholines are the main phospholipid in commercially available lecithin preparations, but also phosphatidyl serine, phosphatidyl inositol and phosphatidyl ethanolamine, among others, may be present. Although phosphatidyl cholines were originally isolated from egg yolk, the most common source in commercially available lecithin preparations is soybeans, albeit rapeseed and safflower lecithin preparations are also available.
The majority of the human intervention studies provided for the scientific substantiation of the health claims considered in this opinion used either commercial lecithin preparations from soy or phosphatidyl cholines from unspecified sources. The Panel notes that, for the latter, the fatty acid composition is generally not reported in the publications, and therefore phosphatidyl cholines from unspecified sources would not be sufficiently characterised in relation to the claimed effects. The Panel also notes that both the type and amount of phospholipids (phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl serine, phosphatidyl inositol, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, etc.) present in the commercial soy lecithin preparations could have an impact on the claimed effects related to neurological and cognitive functions. Therefore, the Panel assumes that the food that is the subject of the health claim is phosphatidyl choline from soy, which is the most abundant phospholipid in soy lecithin preparations.
Linoleic acid (LA) is the most common fatty acid in soy lecithin, representing about 60-65 % by weight (Knuiman et al., 1989). For the claimed effects on blood cholesterol and lipid metabolism, the fatty acid profile of soy lecithin preparations (rather than the phospholipid profile) appears to be
relevant. A claim on LA related to the maintenance of normal cholesterol concentrations in the context of article 13 claims under Regulation (EC) 1924/2006 has already been assessed with a favourable outcome (EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA), 2009). The Panel concluded that a cause and effect relationship was established between the consumption of LA and the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol concentrations. Therefore the Panel will address in the present opinion whether consumption of soy lecithin preparations (in which phosphatidyl cholines are the most abundant phospholipid) has an effect on blood cholesterol concentrations beyond what could be expected from their content of LA.
The Panel considers that, whereas lecithin preparations or phosphatidyl choline from unspecified sources are not sufficiently characterised, the food constituent, soy phosphatidyl choline, which the Panel assumes to be the subject of the health claims, is sufficiently characterised.

2.5. Poprawa funkcji nerwowo-mięśniowych (ID 4250)

The claimed effect is “neuromuscular function”. The Panel assumes that the target population is the general population.
In the context of the proposed wording, the Panel assumes that the claimed effect refers to the improvement of neuromuscular function.
The Panel considers that the improvement of neuromuscular function is a beneficial physiological effect.

3.4. Poprawa funkcji nerwowo-mięśniowych (ID 4250)

The three references provided in relation to this claim are unrelated to the food that is the subject of the health claim and to the claimed effect. The Panel considers that no conclusions can be drawn from these references for the scientific substantiation of the claimed effect.
The Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of soy phosphatidyl choline and the improvement of neuromuscular function.

Warunki i możliwe ograniczenia stosowania oświadczenia

Almost 2,2 g of lecithin per exercise (396 to 484 mg of phosphatidylcholine/exercise)