Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to echium oil and maintenance of normal blood concentrations of triglycerides (ID 548) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006
Słowa kluczowe:
Echium oil
triglycerides
1. Charakterystyka żywności / składnika
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Utrzymanie prawidłowego stężenia trójglicerydów we krwi (na czczo)
The food constituent that is the subject of the health claim is Echium oil, which is extracted from the seeds of the Echium plantagineum plant and has been approved as a novel food ingredient by the European Commission (EC, 2008). The Commission Decision provides the description and specifications of the oil approved as novel food ingredient. The oil contains the n-3 fatty acids alpha-linolenic acid (28%) and stearidonic acid (12%), and the n-6 fatty acid gamma-linolenic acid (11%), among others. The Panel considers that the food constituent, echium oil, that is the subject of the health claim is sufficiently characterised
2. Znaczenie oświadczenia dla zdrowia człowieka
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Utrzymanie prawidłowego stężenia trójglicerydów we krwi (na czczo)
The claimed effect is “blood lipids”. The Panel assumes that the target population is the general population. In the context of the proposed wording, the Panel notes that the claimed effect relates to the maintenance of normal (fasting) blood concentrations of triglycerides. Triglycerides in plasma are either derived from dietary fats or synthesised in the body from other energy sources like carbohydrates. In fasting conditions, serum triglycerides are mainly transported in very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) synthesised in the liver. Excess calorie intake with a meal is converted to triglyceride and transported to the adipose tissue for storage. Hormones regulate the release of triglycerides from adipose tissue in order to meet energy needs between meals.
The Panel considers that maintaining normal (fasting) blood concentrations of triglycerides is beneficial to human health.
3. Naukowe uzasadnienia wpływu na zdrowie człowieka - Utrzymanie prawidłowego stężenia trójglicerydów we krwi (na czczo)
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Utrzymanie prawidłowego stężenia trójglicerydów we krwi (na czczo)
One scientific reference has been provided for the substantiation of the claimed effect (Surette et al., 2004). In a one-arm human intervention study, the effects of echium oil on serum triglycerides were investigated in 11 obese subjects with moderate hypertriglyceridaemia (Surette et al., 2004). Subjects were instructed to consume a National Cholesterol Education Program Step 1 diet and received 15 g/d of echium oil in capsules (15 capsules/d containing 1 g echium oil each) for four weeks. Serum triglycerides were significantly decreased during the intervention. The Panel notes that the absence of a control group, the small number of subjects studied and the lack of control for confounders such as background diet, physical activity or changes in body weight during the intervention greatly limit the conclusions that can be drawn from this study in relation to the claimed effect. The Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of echium oil and the maintenance of normal (fasting) blood concentrations of triglycerides.
Wnioski
On the basis of the data available, the Panel concludes that:
The food constituent, echium oil, that is the subject of the health claim is sufficiently characterised.
The claimed effect is “blood lipids”. The Panel assumes that the target population is the general population. Maintaining normal blood (fasting) concentrations of triglycerides is beneficial to human health.
A cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of echium oil and the maintenance of normal blood (fasting) concentrations of triglycerides.
