Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of a health claim related to a combination of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, D-biotin and pumpkin seed oil and maintenance of normal hair pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006

Following two applications 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 thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, D-biotinand pumpkin seed oil (Cucurbita pepo L.) and maintenance of normal hair. The Panel considers that the specified combination is sufficiently characterised. The claimed effects are “contributes to reduce hair loss” and “increases the number of hair”. The target population proposed by the applicant is healthy adults in the general population. The Panel considers that maintenance of normal hair is a beneficial physiological effect. The applicant identified one publication as being pertinent to the health claim. This study did not use the food which is the subject of the claim. No conclusions can be drawn from this study 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 thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, D-biotinand pumpkin seed oil (Cucurbita pepo L.) and maintenance of normal hair.