ID 853 - Częściowo hydrolizowana guma guar

PL: Częściowo hydrolizowana guma guar
EN: Partially Hydrolysed Guar Gum (PHGG)
Pdf: partially hydrolysed guar gum

1. Charakterystyka żywności / składnika

The food constituent that is the subject of the health claims is partially hydrolysed guar gum (PHGG).
PHGG is produced from guar gum by digestion with D-mannanase. It has a low viscosity and a molecular weight of about 20 kDa. PHGG is not naturally occurring in foods, and is usually consumed in the form of food supplements. PHGG can be measured in foods by established methods.
The Panel considers that the food constituent, partially hydrolysed guar gum, which is the subject of the health claims, is sufficiently characterised.

2.3. Zmiany w funkcjonowaniu jelit (skrócenie czasu pasażu jelitowego, zwiększenie częstości ruchów jelit, zwiększenie objętości stolca) (ID 813, 853, 1902, 1903, 1904, 2929, 2930, 2931)

The claimed effects are “improved intestinal conditions (pH, SCFA production) and intestinal functions”, “bowel function”, and “intestinal health and regularity”. The Panel assumes that the target population is the general population.
In the context of the proposed wordings, the Panel assumes that the claimed effects refer to changes in bowel function.
The Panel considers that changes in bowel function such as reduced transit time, more frequent bowel movements, increased faecal bulk, or softer stools may be a beneficial physiological effect, provided that these changes do not result in diarrhoea.

3.2. Zmiany w funkcjonowaniu jelit (skrócenie czasu pasażu jelitowego, zwiększenie częstości ruchów jelit, zwiększenie objętości stolca) (ID 813, 853, 1902, 1903, 1904, 2929, 2930, 2931)

Among the references provided for the scientific substantiation of the claim were textbooks and narrative reviews which did not contain any original data for the scientific substantiation of the claim. Some human studies were not related to the food constituent which is the subject of the claim, examined the effect of PHGG in combination with other substances, or addressed health outcomes (e.g. prevention and treatment of diarrhoea) other than the claimed effect. One reference was not accessible to the Panel after every reasonable effort to retrieve it had been made. The Panel considers that no conclusions can be drawn from these references for the scientific substantiation of the claim.
Five human intervention studies addressed the effects of PHGG on intestinal transit time/frequency of defecations.
Four of the human studies provided were one-arm, uncontrolled, open label studies which evaluated the effects of PHGG supplementation on different measures of bowel function (Giaccari et al., 2001; Patrick et al., 1998; Takahashi et al., 1993; Takahashi et al., 1994). The Panel notes that these studies were uncontrolled, and considers that no conclusions can be drawn from these studies for the scientific substantiation of the claim.
A randomised, controlled, cross-over study by Meier et al. (1993) reported on the effects of a standardised diet and two liquid formula diets, with and without supplementation of PHGG (21 g/L), on oro-caecal and colonic transit time in 12 healthy male volunteers. The diets were consumed in a randomised order for seven days each. PHGG did not significantly affect oro-caecal transit time. Colonic transit time, however, was significantly prolonged (55 hours) with the liquid diet containing PHGG compared to the liquid diet without PHGG (39 hours), and to the normal diet (30 hours) (p<0.01). Stool frequency and consistency were not significantly affected by PHGG supplementation. The Panel notes that this study does not show a significant effect of PHGG on stool frequency or consistency, and that PHGG increased rather than decreased colonic transit time.
In weighing the evidence, the Panel took into account that the only human intervention study provided from which conclusions could be drawn for the scientific substantiation of the claim did not show any effect of PHGG on stool frequency or consistency, and that PHGG induced an increase rather than a decrease in colonic transit time.
The Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of partially hydrolysed guar gum and changes in bowel function.

Warunki i możliwe ograniczenia stosowania oświadczenia

5 g/day