ID 850 -
Beta-glukany
PL: Beta-glukany
EN: Beta-glucan
Pdf: various food(s)/food constituent(s)
1. Charakterystyka żywności / składnika
The foods/food constituents that are the subject of the health claims are “barley grain fibre”, “oat grain fibre”, “oats beta-glucan”, “barley beta-glucan”, “barre céréalière diététique contenant de l'avoine”, and “oatbran and oatbran products”.
From the conditions of use and references provided, the Panel assumes that the food constituent responsible for the claimed effects is beta-glucans from oats and barley.
Beta-glucans are soluble cereal fibres. They are non-starch polysaccharides composed of glucose molecules in long linear glucose polymers with mixed β-(1→4) and β-(1→3) links with an approximate distribution of 30 % to 70 %. Their molecular weight varies from 50 to 2,000 kDa. Beta-glucans occur naturally in the bran of cereal grasses such as barley (~7 %), oats (~5 %), rye and wheat (1-2 %), and are measurable in foods by established methods. This opinion applies to beta- glucans naturally present in foods, and added to foods.
The mixed linkages are important for their physical properties, such as solubility and viscosity. Their viscosity is a function of the concentration of dissolved beta-glucans, and of their molecular weight (Wood et al., 2000), and further depends on differences in raw materials, processing and methods of determination.
The Panel considers that the food constituent, beta-glucans from oats and barley, which is the subject of the health claims, is sufficiently characterised.
2.4. Funkcje trawienne (ID 850)
The claimed effect is “beta-glucan improves digestive function”. The Panel assumes that the target population is the general population.
Improved digestion or absorption of nutrients might be considered as beneficial physiological effects in a situation where digestion or absorption is a limiting factor for the maintenance of adequate status of the nutrient. The Panel considers that “improving digestive function” without identification of the nutrients which are the target of the claim is not sufficiently defined.
The Panel considers that the claimed effect is general and non-specific, and does not refer to any specific health claim as required by Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.
Warunki i możliwe ograniczenia stosowania oświadczenia
Tootja poolt esitatud andmete põhjal on beeta-glükaani päevane soovitatav kogus 3 g, märgistuselt peaks ilmnema, kui suure koguse sellest toode annab.
