Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to Theobroma cacao L. and maintenance or achievement of a normal body weight (ID 2724) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006
Słowa kluczowe:
Theobroma cacao L
body weight
1. Charakterystyka żywności / składnika
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Uzyskanie lub utrzymanie prawidłowej masy ciała
The food constituent that is the subject of the health claim is Theobroma cacao L.. The characterisation of Theobroma cacao L. is performed by comparing data provided as conditions of use to information extracted from standard reference textbooks (see Table 2 below and Appendix C for list of standard reference textbooks used for the characterisation).
The nature of the preparation is dry extract, but it is assumed to be a dry extract standardised in theobromine. The Panel considers that the food constituent, Theobroma cacao L., which is the subject of the health claim, has been sufficiently characterised with the following conditions of use: dried bean extract: at least 800 mg/day (standardised in theobromine).
2. Znaczenie oświadczenia dla zdrowia człowieka
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Uzyskanie lub utrzymanie prawidłowej masy ciała
The claimed effect is “slimming/lipids metabolism”. The Panel assumes that the target population is the general population. From the proposed wordings the Panel assumes that the claimed effect is related to the maintenance or achievement of a normal body weight. In this context, even a moderate weight loss in overweight subjects without achieving a normal body weight is considered beneficial to human health. The Panel considers that the maintenance or achievement of a normal body weight is beneficial to human health.
3. Naukowe uzasadnienia wpływu na zdrowie człowieka - Uzyskanie lub utrzymanie prawidłowej masy ciała
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Uzyskanie lub utrzymanie prawidłowej masy ciała
Five references were cited to substantiate the claimed effect. One reference was an animal study examining the effect of ephedrine alone and ephedrine in combination with methylxanthine preparations, including theobromine, on whole-body thermogenesis. One reference is a monograph which describes the animal study using ephedrine in combination with methylxanthine preparations. The Panel notes that these references are not directly related to theobromine extract from Theobroma cacao L..
One animal study investigated the regulatory effects of structural differences among methylxanthine derivatives, including theobromine (3,7-dimethylxanthine), on body fat percentage (Inoue et al., 2006). One in vitro study examined the ability of xanthines to stimulate basal and noradrenaline stimulated lipolysis (Fredholm and Lindgren, 1984), and one animal study studied the effect of cacao on decreasing visceral adipose tissue weight and the molecular mechanisms of that effect (Matsui et al., 2005). The Panel considers that the evidence provided in the animal and in vitro studies does not predict an effect of Theobroma cacao L. consumption on the maintenance or achievement of a normal body weight in humans. The Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of Theobroma cacao L. and the maintenance or achievement of a normal body weight.
Wnioski
On the basis of the data presented, the Panel concludes that:
- The food constituent, Theobroma cacao L., which is the subject of the health claim, has been sufficiently characterised with the following conditions of use: dried bean extract: at least 800 mg/day (standardised in theobromine).
- The claimed effect is “slimming/lipids metabolism”. The target population is assumed to be the general population. The maintenance or achievement of a normal body weight is beneficial to human health.
- A cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of Theobroma cacao L. and the maintenance or achievement of a normal body weight.
