Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of a health claim related to ProteQuine® and bovine lactoferrin and increasing suppressed concentrations of secretory IgA and reducing the risk of common cold with sore throat pursuant to Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006

Following an application from SVUS Pharma a.s. submitted pursuant to Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 via the Competent Authority of the Czech Republic, the Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies was asked to deliver an opinion on the scientific substantiation of a health claim related to ProteQuine^® and bovine lactoferrin and defence against microbial and viral pathogens. The scope of the application was proposed to fall under a health claim referring to disease risk reduction. The Panel considers that the food constituents, ProteQuine^® and bovine lactoferrin, the combination of which is the subject of the health claim, are sufficiently characterised. The Panel considers that increasing suppressed concentrations of secretory IgA might be a beneficial physiological effect in the context of reducing the risk of common cold with sore throat. Two published human studies, and four unpublished reports on ProteQuine^® and one published human study and three review papers on lactoferrin were identified by the applicant as being pertinent to the health claim. The Panel notes that none of the published and unpublished studies and reports provided investigated the combination of ProteQuine^® and bovine lactoferrin. The Panel considers that no conclusion can be drawn from the evidence provided for the scientific substantiation of the claimed effect of the combination of ProteQuine^® and bovine lactoferrin. On the basis of the data presented, the Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of the combination of ProteQuine^® and bovine lactoferrin and increasing suppressed concentrations of secretory IgA and reducing the risk of common cold with sore throat.