Rejection of a health claim for Appethyl
Published by AGRINFO on
EU to reject Appethyl health claim – WTO TBT consultation
Draft Commission Regulation refusing to authorise a health claim made on foods, other than those referring to the reduction of disease risk and to children’s development and health
Update
The European Commission has informed the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (WTO TBT) Committee that it will reject a health claim for Appethyl® related to reduction of body weight (G/TBT/N/EU/1064).
What is changing?
The European Commission proposes to reject an application for a health claim submitted by Greenleaf Medical AB that “Appethyl® helps your body weight reduction during mild caloric restriction”.
Why?
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) evaluated the proposed claim and found that no cause-and-effect relationship had been established between the consumption of Appethyl (an aqueous extract from spinach leaves) and a reduction of body weight under the conditions of use proposed by the applicant (EFSA 2023). Therefore the health claim does not comply with the requirements of Regulation 1924/2006.
Recommended Actions
Comments on the proposal can be submitted via the National TBT notification authority of the country concerned to the EU TBT Enquiry Point until 23 July 2024.
Resources
EFSA (2023) Appethyl® and reduction of body weight: evaluation of a health claim. EFSA Journal, 21(10): 8239.
Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods
Sources
Draft Commission Regulation refusing to authorise a health claim made on foods, other than those referring to the reduction of disease risk and to children’s development and health