TY - JOUR

T1 - Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of a health claim related to a combination of pomegranate pomace extract and greater galangal rhizome powder and an increase in the number of motile spermatozoa in semen pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006

AU - EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA)

AU - Tetens, Inge

AU - Sjödin, Anders Mikael

PY - 2015

Y1 - 2015

N2 - Following an application from Nerthus ApS, submitted for authorisation of a health claim pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 via the Competent Authority of Denmark, the EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) was asked to deliver an opinion on the scientific substantiation of a health claim related to a combination of pomegranate pomace extract (standardised by its content of punicalagins) and greater galangal rhizome powder (standardised by its content of acetoxychavicol acetate) and an increase in the number of motile spermatozoa in semen. The Panel considers that the food is sufficiently characterised. An increase in the number of motile spermatozoa in semen is a beneficial physiological effect. In weighing the evidence, the Panel took into account that one human study showed an increase in the number of motile spermatozoa in semen when the combination of pomegranate pomace extract and greater galangal rhizome powder was consumed for three months, that no other human studies in which these results have been replicated were provided, and that no evidence was provided for a mechanism by which the food could exert the claimed effect. The Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of the combination of pomegranate pomace extract (standardised by its content of punicalagins) and greater galangal rhizome powder (standardised by its content of acetoxychavicol acetate) and an increase in the number of motile spermatozoa in semen.

AB - Following an application from Nerthus ApS, submitted for authorisation of a health claim pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 via the Competent Authority of Denmark, the EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) was asked to deliver an opinion on the scientific substantiation of a health claim related to a combination of pomegranate pomace extract (standardised by its content of punicalagins) and greater galangal rhizome powder (standardised by its content of acetoxychavicol acetate) and an increase in the number of motile spermatozoa in semen. The Panel considers that the food is sufficiently characterised. An increase in the number of motile spermatozoa in semen is a beneficial physiological effect. In weighing the evidence, the Panel took into account that one human study showed an increase in the number of motile spermatozoa in semen when the combination of pomegranate pomace extract and greater galangal rhizome powder was consumed for three months, that no other human studies in which these results have been replicated were provided, and that no evidence was provided for a mechanism by which the food could exert the claimed effect. The Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of the combination of pomegranate pomace extract (standardised by its content of punicalagins) and greater galangal rhizome powder (standardised by its content of acetoxychavicol acetate) and an increase in the number of motile spermatozoa in semen.

KW - Faculty of Science

KW - Pomegranate

KW - Greater galangal

KW - Semen

KW - Spermatozoa

KW - Health claims

U2 - 10.2903/j.efsa.2015.4097

DO - 10.2903/j.efsa.2015.4097

M3 - Journal article

VL - 13

JO - E F S A Journal

JF - E F S A Journal

SN - 1831-4732

IS - 5

M1 - 4097

ER -