Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to xanthan
gum and increased satiety (ID 838) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation
(EC) No 1924/2006[sup]1[/sup]
EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA)2, 3
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Parma, Italy
Słowa kluczowe:
Xanthan
appetite
health claims
satiety
1. Charakterystyka żywności / składnika
The food constituent that is the subject of the health claim is xanthan gum, which is a polysaccharide used as a food additive. It is produced by fermentation of glucose or sucrose by the Xanthomonas campestris bacterium. The polysaccharide is secreted into the growth medium by the bacterium and is then harvested by precipitation with isopropyl alcohol. It is dried and milled to a powder form that is readily soluble. Xanthan gum has the capacity to produce a large increase in the viscosity of a liquid. Unlike other gums, it is very stable under a wide range of temperatures and pH.
The Panel considers that the food constituent, xanthan gum, that is the subject of the health claim is sufficiently characterised.
2. Znaczenie oświadczenia dla zdrowia człowieka
The claimed effect is “appetite control”. The Panel assumes that the target population is individuals who need to control their energy intake.
“Appetite control” is not sufficiently defined. In the context of the proposed wording, the Panel assumes that the claimed effect refers to satiety.
Satiety, understood as the decrease in motivation to eat after consumption of food, varies in magnitude and duration and may include only changes in appetite ratings (hunger, fullness, satiety,
and desire to eat) or also a reduction in subsequent energy intake. The effect may persist up to several hours, may change energy intake either at the next meal or across the day and, if sustained, may lead to a reduction in body weight. In the context of this Opinion, satiety is interpreted as the decrease in the motivation to eat after consumption of food leading to a reduction in energy intake.
The Panel considers that an increase in satiety might be a beneficial physiological effect.
3. Naukowe uzasadnienia wpływu na zdrowie człowieka - Zwiększenie sytości
Three papers were presented in relation to this claim in the consolidated list. Two of these were reviews of published studies on the general effects of dietary fibre on hunger, satiety, energy intake, and body composition. The Panel considers that no scientific conclusions can be drawn from these publications for the substantiation of the claim.
The third publication (Zurakowski et al., 2005) examined the effect of xanthan gum (0.5 g) compared to placebo when consumed in combination with a test meal (ham sandwich, 90 kcal) on appetite ratings (hunger, satiety and fullness) using VAS and 7 point ratings scales in 21 obese women (BMI>30 kg/m2). In a repeated measures design (xanthan gum vs placebo), appetite ratings were obtained before consumption of the test meal and at 20-minute intervals for the next 2 hours. No significant differences in hunger, satiety or fullness between xanthan and placebo were reported. The Panel notes that the dose of xanthan gum used in this study is lower than proposed in the conditions of use for the claim, and that the effects of xanthan consumption on subsequent energy intake were not investigated in this study.
The Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of xanthan gum and increased satiety.
Wnioski
On the basis of the data presented, the Panel concludes that:
The food constituent, xanthan gum, which is the subject of the health claim, is sufficiently characterised.
The claimed effect is “appetite control”. The target population is assumed to be individuals who need to control their energy intake. In the context of this Opinion, satiety is interpreted as the decrease in the motivation to eat after consumption of food leading to a reduction in energy intake. An increase in satiety might be a beneficial physiological effect.
A cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of xanthan gum and increased satiety.
