Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of a health claim related to a combination of flaxseed oil and vitamin E and maintenance of the skin permeability barrier function pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006

Following an application from Nutrilinks Sarl, submitted pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 via the Competent Authority of Belgium, the Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) was asked to deliver an opinion on the scientific substantiation of a health claim related to a combination of flaxseed oil and vitamin E and maintenance of the skin permeability barrier function. The food constituent that is the subject of the health claim is a combination of flaxseed oil and vitamin E. The Panel considers that the combination of flaxseed oil and vitamin E is sufficiently characterised. The claimed effect is “contributes to maintain skin permeability barrier function”. The target population proposed by the applicant is healthy adults with dry and sensitive skin. Maintenance of the permeability barrier function of the skin is a beneficial physiological effect. The applicant identified two published human intervention studies as being pertinent to the health claim. Owing to the very limited information provided regarding key methodological aspects, and to the important limitations of the statistical analysis performed, the Panel considers that no conclusions can be drawn from these studies for the scientific substantiation of the claim. The Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of a combination of flaxseed oil and vitamin E and maintenance of the skin permeability barrier function.