Health claims
Are health claims like 'can reduce cholesterol' on packaging trustworthy?
European regulations ensure that all health claims made on labels, advertising or other marketing products are scientifically justified and easy to understand for consumers.
A health claim is any statement about a relationship between food and health. For example, a health claim could suggest that a particular food “reduces body weight” or “maintains normal muscle function”.
A nutrition claim on the other hand states or suggests that a food has beneficial nutritional properties, such as “low fat”, “no added sugar” and “high in fibre”.
Together European and national regulators protect consumers from inaccurate or misleading information related to food.
As scientists at EFSA, we rigorously evaluate the scientific evidence behind health claims on food packaging, ensuring consumers can trust the information they rely for making informed choices.
Leng Heng, a nutrition expert at EFSA.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and its experts from across Europe are responsible for evaluating the scientific evidence supporting these types of claims about food.
The European Commission and EU Member States decide whether to authorise claims and what wording can be used.
- EU Registry of Health Claims | European Commission
- Permitted nutrition claims | European Commission
- Health and nutrition claims | European Food Safety Authority
