Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to calcium and maintenance of bones and teeth (ID 224, 230, 231, 354, 3099), muscle function and neurotransmission (ID 226, 227, 230, 235), blood coagulation (ID 230, 236), energy-yielding metabolism (ID 234), function of digestive enzymes (ID 355), and maintenance of normal blood pressure (ID 225, 385, 1419) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006
Jean-Louis Bresson, Albert Flynn, Marina Heinonen, Karin Hulshof, Hannu Korhonen, Pagona Lagiou, Martinus Løvik, Rosangela Marchelli, Ambroise Martin, Bevan Moseley, Hildegard Przyrembel, Seppo Salminen, Sean (J.J.) Strain, Stephan Strobel, Inge Tetens, Henk van den Berg, Hendrik van Loveren and Hans Verhagen
Contact
nda@efsa.europa.eu
No abstract available
Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies was asked to provide a scientific opinion on a list of health claims pursuant to Article 13 of Regulation 1924/2006. This opinion addresses the scientific substantiation of health claims in relation to calcium and the following claimed effects: maintenance of bones and teeth, muscle function and neurotransmission, blood coagulation, energy-yielding metabolism, function of digestive enzymes, and maintenance of a normal blood pressure. The scientific substantiation is based on the information provided by the Member States in the consolidated list of Article 13 health claims and references that EFSA has received from Member States or directly from stakeholders.
The food constituent that is the subject of the health claims is calcium, which is a well recognised nutrient and it is measurable in foods by established methods. The Panel considers that calcium is sufficiently characterised.
The Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has been established between calcium and the maintenance of normal bones and teeth, normal muscle function and neurotransmission, normal blood coagulation, normal energy-yielding metabolism and normal function of digestive enzymes.
The Panel considers that, in order to bear the claims, a food should be at least a source of calcium as per Annex to Regulation 1924/2006. Such amounts can be easily consumed as part of a balanced diet. The target population is the general population.
The Panel concludes that the evidence provided is insufficient to establish a cause and effect relationship between the intake of calcium and the maintenance of a normal blood pressure.
Calcium, bones, mineralisation, teeth, muscle, neurotransmission, blood pressure, digestive enzymes, colorectal cells, health claims.
