A health claim is any statement used on labels, in marketing or in advertising that health benefits may result from the consumption of a given food or any of its components such as vitamins and minerals , fibers and “probiotic” bacteria. There are different types of health claims. For example, claims that a food can help strengthen the body’s natural defenses or improve learning ability are called “general function” claims. Examples also include claims about reducing the risk of disease and other substances that may improve or alter normal body functions, such as “Plant sterols have been shown to reduce cholesterol levels, a risk factor in the development of coronary heart disease” or “Calcium can help improve bone density”.
A nutrition claim states or suggests that a food has particular beneficial nutritional properties. Examples include “low fat,” “source of omega-3 fatty acids,” or “high fiber.”
The Nutrition and Health Claims on Food Regulations require that foods bearing nutrition and health claims meet certain nutritional requirements or “nutrient profiles”. Foods must meet these conditions to be able to make such claims. The profiles will help ensure that consumers who use claims to guide healthy food choices and who may perceive foods carrying claims to have a nutritional or health benefit are not misled about their overall nutritional value. The European Commission and Member States will establish a nutritional profiling system and establish nutrient profiles for foods carrying nutritional and health claims, taking into account scientific advice from EFSA.
EFSA regularly updates its website with information on the progress of work in the area of claims. The most recent information is available on the EFSA website.
