Roquette Highlights Favorable EFSA Article 13.5 Opinion on NUTRIOSE Fiber

29 Oct 2013 --- This summer, Roquette received a favourable opinion from EFSA concerning a 13.5 health claim. The claim relates to the company’s NUTRIOSE fibre, a non-fermentable carbohydrate in the buccal cavity and the maintenance of tooth mineralisation. For Roquette this first claim application success is positive confirmation in particular of EFSA’s recognition of the quality and scientific rigour of the company’s nutritional studies devoted to its ingredients.

At the same time the opinion is seen as a “strengthening of one of Roquette’s strategic development areas: nutrition-health”.

Last January, Roquette submitted a health claim application to EFSA in accordance with article 13.5. This concerned the physiological benefits of the non-fermentable fibre* NUTRIOSE in the maintenance of tooth mineralisation. The claim for which EFSA issued a favourable opinion states that “consumption of food/drinks containing “non-fermentable” carbohydrates instead of sugar may help maintain tooth mineralisation by decreasing tooth demineralisation”. Sophie CHESNOY, NUTRIOSE Development Manager points out that: “Roquette proactively supports and promotes the recognition of its products’ health benefits. This is our first health claim application and EFSA’s opinion is an encouragement to us to make headway on other projects. Our priority is innovation for the benefit of our customers and the health of the consumer.”

Nutrition-health is a major priority and challenge for producers, consumers and public authorities. At Roquette it has been a strategic development area for many years.

“Nutrition-health has been a priority research area for over half a century in the Roquette group. With its nutrition-targeted ingredients such as polyols, fibres, proteins and more recently micro-algae, Roquette is in a position to supply reliable and sustainable solutions not only for dental health, but also to combat diabetes and obesity and to control weight”, comments Dr. Bertrand RODRIGUEZ, Scientific Communication Officer, R&D Roquette.

Elisabeth GOIDIN, Corporate Regulatory Affairs Dept Food Sector Manager, adds: “Today, we are developing protocols and studies with our Scientific Nutrition team to demonstrate the nutritional and health properties of our ingredients. This work is performed with a view to submitting claim applications. Our regulatory strategy accords with developments at the European legislation level and with opinions issued by EFSA. As with any regulatory matter, the 13.5 claim application is the result of joint work by our scientific and regulatory experts, sometimes supported by the opinion of consultants.”