ID 765 - Galaktooligosacharydy

PL: Galaktooligosacharydy
EN: Galacto-oligosaccharides
Pdf: various foods/food constituents

Oświadczenie (2)

1. Charakterystyka żywności / składnika

The food constituent that is the subject of the health claims is galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS).
GOS are formed by enzymatic treatment of lactose by β-galactosidases with transgalactosylation activities to produce several oligomers of different chain lengths. In the reaction 4'- or 6'-galactosyl- lactose, longer oligosaccharides, transgalactosylated disaccharides and non-reducing oligosaccharides are formed. The microbial source of β-galactosidase affects the utilisation of the substrate by gut bacteria (Depeint et al., 2008). The Panel notes that there are different GOS with different chain lengths. The Panel considers that several commercial GOS preparations are sufficiently characterised.
The Panel considers that the food constituent, galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), which is the subject of the claims, is sufficiently characterised in relation to the claimed effects.

2.2. Zmniejszenie ilości potencjalnie patogennych mikroorganizmów przewodu pokarmowego (ID 765)

The claimed effect is “prebiotic/bifidogenic”. 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 increasing numbers of bacteria which are considered to be “beneficial”. The numbers/proportions of bacterial groups which would constitute a “beneficial” colonic/gastro-intestinal flora have not been established. Increasing the number of any group of microorganisms, including lactobacilli and/or bifidobacteria, is not in itself considered to be a beneficial physiological effect. The Panel considers that the evidence
provided does not establish that increasing numbers of groups of gastro-intestinal microorganisms is a beneficial physiological effect.
The Panel considers that the claimed effect in the context of decreasing potentially pathogenic gastro-intestinal microorganisms might be a beneficial physiological effect.

3.2. Zmniejszenie ilości potencjalnie patogennych mikroorganizmów przewodu pokarmowego (ID 765)

Among the references provided for the scientific substantiation of the claim, some were reviews, textbooks and opinions from authoritative bodies which either did not address the claimed effect or did not contain any original data which could be used for the scientific substantiation of the claimed effect. Some human studies were not related to the food constituent which is the subject of the claim or examined the effect of GOS in combination with other substances, and several human and animal studies addressed outcomes unrelated to the claimed effect, such as the effect of GOS on bone mineralisation, stool weight, stool frequency, intestinal transit time, faecal pH, flatulence. The Panel considers that no conclusions can be drawn from these references for the scientific substantiation of the claimed effect.
In several human intervention studies, the effect of GOS on different bacterial strains or groups was studied: bifidobacteria, lactobacilli, enterobacteria, Bacteroides, clostridia, staphylococci, enterococci, total aerobes, Clostridium perfringens-hystolyticum group, Collinsella aerofaciens, Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, Bacteroides-Prevotella group, Lactobacillus-Enterococcus group (Alles et al., 1999; Bouhnik et al., 1997; 2004; Depeint et al., 2008; Ito et al., 1990; Napoli et al., 2003; Narimiya et al., 1996; Sawatzki et al., 2005; Tannock et al., 2004). The Panel notes that the bacterial groups analysed in these studies are part of the commensal intestinal microbiota, and that the studies did not provide evidence for the characterisation of any of these groups as pathogens. The Panel considers that no conclusions can be drawn from these studies for the scientific substantiation of the claimed effect.
Ito et al. (1993) in an open-label, non-controlled trial studied the effect of GOS (15 g/day) given for six days to a group of volunteers (n=12) on gut microbiota, including Candida spp. The Panel considers that no conclusions can be drawn from this uncontrolled study for the scientific substantiation of the claimed effect.
The Panel notes that no human studies have been provided from which conclusions can be drawn for the scientific substantiation of the claimed effect. The Panel considers that human studies are required for the substantiation of a claim, and that evidence provided in animal and in vitro studies is not sufficient to predict the occurrence of an effect of GOS consumption on decreasing potentially pathogenic gastro-intestinal microorganisms in humans.
The Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) and decreasing potentially pathogenic gastro-intestinal microorganisms.

Warunki i możliwe ograniczenia stosowania oświadczenia

2,5 g/day