The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has rejected three article 13.5 probiotic and prebiotic health claims and one article 14 claim linking prebiotics with a range of benefits from immunity to diarrhoea for failing to demonstrate causality.

EFSA’s Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) rejected one emerging science, article 13.5 claim from Sunstar Suisse linking p Lactobacilllus reuteri-fortified, probiotic chewing gum and tablets and oral health.

Italy-based Sunstar Suisse proposed the claim: “Gum Periobalance, combined with a correct oral hygiene, helps re-balancing the oral microflora and improving oral health.”

But the NDA said while decreasing the levels of mutans streptococci in the oral cavity and reducing the amount of dental plaque may be beneficial to health, the dossier did not demonstrate how the product in question, Gum Periobalance, helped this to be so.

The dossier contained two published human intervention studies and one unpublished in vitro study, all of which were found wanting for lack of relevance to the claimed effect or lack of demonstrated causality.

Probiotic supplements

Three prebiotic submissions from UK-based Clasado Limited also drew negative opinions from the scientific assessor for similar reasons.

Clasado submitted three claims for a prebiotic supplement, Bimuno, that contained a β-galacto-oligosaccharide mixture.

Two article 13.5 claims proposed gut health and immunity benefits, while an article 14 disease reduction claim linked the supplement with traveller’s diarrhoea.

Gut health

For the gut health claim, the NDA dismissed three human intervention trials and 11 non-human trials submitted by Clasado it hoped would back its claim that the supplement could improve “gastrointestinal function”. Reasons included lack of power, use of old formulations, non-matching formulations (between trial and product in question).

Clasado proposed the claim: “Bimuno (BGOS) Prebiotic selectively stimulates and increases the number of bifidobacteria in the gut of regular consumers. Bifidobacteria are recognised as health promoting bacteria that support the general well-being of the host.”

While some bifidogenic effects were detected at doses between 2.75g/d and 5.5 g/d, the NDA said this did not translate into a health benefit.

“The results do not show that the changes in the number of bifidobacteria are beneficial for the gut function,” it concluded.

Immunity

For the article 13.5 immunity claim, Clasado proposed the following health relationship: “Bimuno (BGOS) Prebiotic supports the immune system by helping to increase the natural killer cell and phagocyte activity in regular consumers. Natural killer cell activity and leukocyte phagocyte activity both play a key role in the function of the immune system.”

Its simplified claim read: “Supports your natural defences” and was intended for elderly people who consumed 5.5g of Bimuno Prebiotic per day for at least 10 weeks.

The NDA considered that only one clinical trial involving 44 elderly people, was relevant but found it wanting as it dod not, “provide any evidence that the observed changes in counts of faecal bifidobacteria, NK cell activity, production of inflammatory cytokines and phagocytosis activity constitute beneficial changes in the immune system”.

Traveller’s diarrhoea

Clasado’s article 14 disease-reduction claim stated: “Regular consumption of Bimuno (BGOS) Prebiotic helps to protect against the bad bacteria that can cause travellers’ diarrhoea.”

But again the NDA said the claim at a level of 5.5g per day was not substantiated by an unpublished, human clinical trial, an unpublished animal study, three in vitro studies and one review.

The three in vitro and review were deemed irrelevant because were not specifically testing or referring to Bimuno.

The clinical trial was deemed insufficient because of a number of flaws including a high drop-out rate, insufficiently characterised population, lack of data risk factors and insufficient description of statistical analyses.

More than 4000 claims are due to be processe under the 2006 nutrition and health claims regulation by the end of January, 2010, although the European Commission has admitted it is unlikely this deadline will be met.

A new, easy and quick way to test ice-cream mix has been made possible thanks to the calibration for a near infrared analyser, said manufacturers Foss.

The Danish company said the calibration for its InfraXact analyser can be used for all ice-cream regardless of colour and added vegetable oil. Parameters such as protein, sugars and colour can also be measured although the calibration cannot be used for sorbet ice mix.

Easy routine testing

Testing ice-cream is as straightforward as placing a cup containing a sample into the instrument and turning the machine on, with results for both total solids and fats available within a minute, said the firm. The test procedure complies with the IDF 201 – Guidelines for the application of near infrared spectrometry.

A Foss spokesman told that a major benefit provided by the system was the rapid and easy routine testing it offered.

“The InfraXact is designed for routine testing in a laboratory or on a production line and doesn’t need a specialist,” he added. “It offers time and cost savings compared to traditional chemical analysis. The instrument ensures consistent quality, economy and efficiency and means operators can monitor production with ease,” he said.

In production control frequent checks can be made against production specifications so that any necessary adjustments to the production process can be made in a timely manner – even before the end product is out of specification, said the firm.

Cost savings

The calibration was developed using Artificial Neural Network (ANN) modelling – a technique that assimilates a vast amount of analysis data, ensuring that results are representative of a wide range of samples. The performance was evaluated using an independent test set, said the company. The instrument has been used by the dairy and animal feed sectors for some time but this is the first time it has been used for analysis of ice-cream.

NSF International and Paragon Leadership International have teamed up over a new series of food safety forums for promising food industry executives in Michigan to boost food safety and economic growth in the state.

According to the state government, agriculture is in the top three industries in Michigan. In 2006-7 it had about 52800 farms with a total of 10m acres; the state ranks first in the production of black beans, cherry beans and small red beans, blueberries, tart cherries and pickling cucumbers. It is also a major supplier of other fruits, spearmint, and milk.

The new forum, called The Food Epprentice Experience, is geared towards promising employees regarded as the next generation of food leaders. Some of the topics they will have to deal with throughout their careers are already on the table, such as sustainability, obesity and nutrition, and – as evidenced by the current recession – economic considerations and poverty.

Specific topics on the agenda include increasing public knowledge of safe food handling, expanding agriculture as an economic driver, increasing supply of nutritious and locally-produced food to food banks, and creating workplace strategies to counter childhood obesity.

“Developing future leaders with a purpose is our company’s purpose,” said Janice Krupic, CEO of Paragon Leadership. She added that NSF, a not-for-profit organization involved in public health and safety, is an ideal partner for driving ideas for real change in the industry.

The first one-day forum is taking place on Thursday October 1 at NSF International’s headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan. As well as NSF and Paragon, other partners in the initiative are the Michigan Farm Bureau, the Food Bank Council of Michigan, and Michigan Nutrition Network.

Businesses are invited to select attendees from their organization. More information and registration is available at www.paragon-lead.com/food