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Food Security

J.J. Rodríguez Jerez

Grisc – Grup de Recerca en Gobernança del Risc (UAB)

Delay on functional foods

19 October 2009

Foto: Gustavo Peres

Recently, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) issued the first reports evaluating proposals to market functional foods. Various European companies had presented over 500 different proposals. The scientific committee of the organization has rejected two thirds of these.

The evaluations are the result of an assignment of the scientific committee of the EFSA, NDA (Dietetic products, nutrition and allergies), in response to the uncontrolled increase of new products, functional foods, which help to lower cholesterol levels and arterial tension, or strengthen the immune system. The premises for this assignment were clear: if no positive scientific evaluation were obtained, it would not be possible to market the product with the declared nutritional functionality.

The results of this first study indicate that products, whose nutritional evidence is so clear they are impossible to be rejected, have been allowed. Regarding the rest, almost all have been rejected. This situation will leave European industry at a clear disadvantage compared to other countries, and it will limit the development of new products. It is obvious what this means in terms of investment, development and new job opportunities.

Tough verdict

The results of the evaluations show that nearly 350 files presented by companies and associations have not been able to convince scientist of the NDA committee of its benefits. Therefore, these proposals, some of which have been on the market for years, cannot be sold with the indication of a specific benefit for the potential consumer.

The cost of the presentation of all these files is very important; it amounts to several million Euros. However, after this experience, and considering the absence of clear criteria by part of the European authorities, the market of functional foods will be postponed significantly.

The lack of clarity of the European authorities will postpone the marketing of functional foodsEven though hundreds of scientific articles have been published, in which the benefits of numerous fermenting microorganisms and other traditional fermented products, like yogurt, have been stated, not one of the 100 microorganisms that have been evaluated and presented have been found to be efficient. They haven’t been approved for improvement of intestinal function, strengthening immunity or any other benefit.

So, according to the EFSA, the widely proclaimed benefits of yogurts and the microorganisms that produce it (bifid bacteria or lactobacilli in general, among many others) have not counted as valid. A large amount of herbs described to be beneficial for health have been included in this same package. The same counts for such popular products as omega -3 fatty acids, meant to have positive cardiovascular effects. Some member countries had already approved these polyunsaturated. Will they have to start over? And just like the previous substances, the scientists of the specific committee of the EFSA have rejected other molecules, such as taurine used in stimulant drinks.

On the contrary other molecules, whose positive effect on the body is obvious because they are metabolically essential, have also been evaluated in a positive way: vitamins alone or in combination with other products which generate a strengthening effect on absorption or activity.

Perhaps it would be convenient that the scientific committee would consider the reality of the serious scientific studies that have existed for decades all over the world. A quick look at literature would make it possible to create really useful food. This way they would not spend so much time trying to regulate a market that can clearly be interesting to help increase the health of the consumers. In the meantime, instead of reality, we will find ourselves in an impossible fiction in Europe.

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3 comments

Ignasi 21/05/2010
Si la funcionalitat d'un aliment es demostra científicament (i a comprovar-ho és al que es dedica l'EFSA -el darrer paràgraf de l'article és manifestament demagògic-), per què no incorporar-lo a la nostra dieta? És bo el que diu Elsken d'analitzar els nostra hàbits alimentaris, però no es tracta "d'automedicar-nos", sinó de consumir productes (qui vulgui!) que més enllà de nodrir aporten un esforç extra per prevenir certes patologies actuant sobre els factors de risc. A mi em sembla una bona opció, i em consta que l'EFSA és prou exigent per poder regular un mercat que fins ara estava descontrolat... No sé quin interès té l'autor de l'article, però no m'agrada el to que utilitza ni en aquest ni en d'altres articles seus...

Elsken 15/11/2009
La funcionalitat dels aliments és una de les noves estratègies que els departaments de màrqueting de les multinacionals estan seguint actualment. Empreses més petites segueixen aquesta línia tot i que probablement no tenen els mitjants ni els recursos per fer una investigació sobre l'efectivitat de les noves virtuds publicitades. Personalment qüestiono la validesa d'aquests nous productes amb aditius màgics i critico la pseudomedicina que es ven a través de l'alimentació. Ens podrem automedicar escollint una marca de margarina o de iogurt o un suc amb més vitamines? Realment amb això millorarem la nostra salud o l'empitjorarem pel fet d'ingerir aliments molt processats i poc naturals? No seria millor fer un anàlisi dels hàbits alimentaris, de la qualitat dels aliments que prenem, de l'entorn en el que vivim i de molts altres factors que poden influir en el nostre nivell de salut enlloc de deslliurar-nos de la responsabilitat i de dipositar l'esperança del nostre benestar en un producte de màrqueting?

Patxi 09/11/2009
Sembla que tu saps molt més que tot el comité de la EFSA... o és que tens algún interès més que científic? Ets un problema per la societat!

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