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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

EFSA Journal 2009; 7(9):1300 doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2009.1300
  EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies Panel Members 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
Type: Opinion of the Scientific Committee/Scientific Panel On request from: European Commission Question number: EFSA-Q-2008-3457 Adopted: 02 July 2009 Published: 01 October 2009 Last updated: 26 November 2009. This version replaces the previous one/s. Affiliation: European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Parma, Italy
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Abstract

No abstract available

Summary

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 Theobroma cacao L. and maintenance or achievement of a normal body weight. 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 claim is Theobroma cacao L.. The Panel considers that Theobroma cacao L. 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”. From the proposed wordings the Panel assumes that the claimed effect is related to the maintenance or achievement of a normal body weight. The Panel considers that the maintenance or achievement of a normal body weight is beneficial to human health.

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 contribution to the maintenance and/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 maintenance or achievement of a normal body weight.

Keywords

Theobroma cacao L., body weight, health claims

See also