Health claims labelling needs to speak consumers' language

There is still some uncertainty about how the scientific wording of health claims approved by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) will be translated into language that consumers can understand.

Under article five of the EU Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation, claims are only permitted "if the average consumer can be expected to understand the beneficial effects as expressed in the claim"

However, EFSA, which is tasked with assessing claims, said it was not its job to come up with 'consumer-friendly' terminology. As a result, the wording on claims approved by EFSA to date has been highly technical. For example, Provexis had proposed that its tomato extract: 'helps to maintain a healthy blood flow and benefits circulation', whereas EFSA argued that the scientific evidence only reflected the claim that it: 'helps maintain normal platelet aggregation'.

This has left some applicants in the odd position of having claims supported by science, but incomprehensible to consumers - and therefore useless for marketing purposes.

The final wording of claims is discussed by the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health [which represents Member States], but the Commission ultimately decides what is appropriate, said Provexis boss Stephen Moon. He remained confident that a variant of the more consumer-friendly wording in his original application would be approved, even though EFSA had challenged it.

"EFSA's wording is too medical. The average consumer hasn't even heard of platelets," he said.