Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to
Lactobacillus johnsonii BFE 6128 and decreasing potentially pathogenic
intestinal microorganisms (ID 989) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation
(EC) No 1924/2006[sup]1[/sup]
EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA)2
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Parma, Italy
Słowa kluczowe:
Lactobacillus johnsonii BFE 6128
health claims
intestinal flora
potentially pathogenic microorganisms
1. Charakterystyka żywności / składnika
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Zmniejszenie ilość potencjalnie patogennych bakterii jelitowych
The food constituent that is the subject of the health claim is Lactobacillus johnsonii BFE 6128. The strain Lactobacillus johnsonii BFE 6128 identity and characteristics have been determined using phenotypic and genotypic methods (Vizoso Pinto and Franz, 2006).
The Panel considers that the food constituent, Lactobacillus johnsonii BFE 6128, which is the subject of the health claim, is sufficiently characterised.
The Panel notes that no indication of the deposit of the strain in an internationally recognised culture collection was found in the information provided in the literature.
2. Znaczenie oświadczenia dla zdrowia człowieka
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Zmniejszenie ilość potencjalnie patogennych bakterii jelitowych
The claimed effect is “digestive health/intestinal flora”. The Panel assumes that the target population is the general population.
“Digestive health” and “intestinal flora” are not sufficiently defined. In the context of the proposed wording, the Panel assumes that the claimed effect refers to aspects of: “maintaining/restoring the balance of intestinal flora”.
The numbers/proportions of bacterial groups that would constitute a “balanced intestinal flora” have not been established. Increasing the number of any groups of bacteria is not in itself considered as
beneficial. The Panel considers that no evidence has been provided that aspects of the claimed effect, “maintaining/restoring the balance of intestinal flora”, are beneficial to human health.
The Panel considers that “maintaining/restoring the balance of intestinal flora” in the context of decreasing potentially pathogenic intestinal microorganisms might be beneficial to human health.
3. Naukowe uzasadnienia wpływu na zdrowie człowieka - Zmniejszenie ilość potencjalnie patogennych bakterii jelitowych
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Zmniejszenie ilość potencjalnie patogennych bakterii jelitowych
Nine references were cited to substantiate the claimed effect. None of the references provided related to the strain Lactobacillus johnsonii BFE 6128, and the Panel considers that the evidence obtained for one strain cannot be extrapolated to another, given the strain-specificity of the effects.
The Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of Lactobacillus johnsonii BFE 6128 and decreasing potentially pathogenic intestinal microorganisms.
Wnioski
On the basis of the data available, the Panel concludes that:
The food constituent, Lactobacillus johnsonii BFE 6128, which is the subject of the health claim is sufficiently characterised.
The claimed effect is “digestive health/intestinal flora”. The target population is assumed to be the general population. Decreasing potentially pathogenic intestinal microorganisms might be beneficial to human health.
A cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of Lactobacillus johnsonii BFE 6128 and decreasing potentially pathogenic intestinal microorganisms.
