Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of a health claim related to glucose and contribution to energy‐yielding metabolism pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006

Following an application from Dextro Energy GmbH & Co. KG submitted pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 via the Competent Authority of Germany, the Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies was asked to deliver an opinion on the scientific substantiation of a health claim related to glucose and “it is metabolised within body's normal energy metabolism”. The scope of the application was proposed to fall under a health claim based on newly developed scientific evidence. The food constituent that is the subject of the health claim is glucose, which is sufficiently characterised. The claimed effect is “it is metabolised within body's normal energy metabolism”. The proposed target population is the general population. The Panel notes that the claimed effect refers to the contribution of the food constituent to energy‐yielding metabolism, which is a beneficial physiological effect. Glucose is used within cells as a source of energy and contributes to energy‐yielding metabolism, which is a property inherent to the food constituent. The publications provided by the applicant as being pertinent to the claim do not add new information to the well established role of glucose in energy‐yielding metabolism as a source of energy. The Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has been established between the intake of glucose and contribution to energy‐yielding metabolism. The following wording reflects the scientific evidence: “glucose contributes to energy‐yielding metabolism”. In order to bear the claim, a food should be a significant source of glucose. Reference intake values for glycaemic carbohydrates have been established for labelling purposes in Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011. The target population is the general population.