EAS: Marketing solutions needed if EU follows EFSA trend on claims opinions

Food companies will need to become highly effective at developing new approaches to communication if the EU authorities adopt the European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA) opinions as they stand, said food policy consultancy EAS.

Following EFSA's publication of its fourth batch of article 13 claims opinions, EAS said that with the majority of claims opinions for many key ingredient claims remaining unfavorable, if adopted this will result in traditional marketing limitations and the urgent need for innovative solutions.

EFSA issued 442 claims opinions last month on a range of ingredients, including in particular minerals, probiotics, fatty acids, amino acids and specific plant extracts, covering areas such as antioxidative, cognitive and bowel function and blood cholesterol.

"This batch illustrates and confirms that there has been little change in the EFSA approach for evaluations during the process," said regulatory affairs manager Stefanie Geiser.

"Companies, therefore, can already learn a lot from the opinions EFSA has given so far and incorporate this into new marketing strategies. They should also be carefully monitoring the 'grey list' developments, which will start very soon, and the final adoption process of the article 13 list, and transition periods to be given."

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"The trend in the latest batch of opinions shows rejections related particularly to immune response or natural defences, digestive and intestinal health, vitality anti-ageing effects of plant extracts and many unfavourable opinions for a range of amino acids and other substances."

"It also repeats a trend of positive assessments for fatty acid heart related and chewing gum/sweetener dental health claims, and new positive claims for activated charcoal, betaine, caffeine, choline, resistant starch, l-arginine, olive polyphenols, meat/fish, walnuts and water."

EFSA has now finalized 80% of its article 13.1 claims assessment process for all substances, excluding botanicals.

Around 600 claims are still in the process and expected to be published in a fifth batch at the end of June, and a sixth and final batch in September 2011.

The European Commission then intends to present its draft article 13.1 "Union list" of claims that are permitted in the EU for adoption by the Standing Committee by the end of the year.

The list will exclude botanicals.