EFSA and FDA Health Claim for tomato products and improved blood flow moves to the next level
Formed in March 2016, the
Tomato Foundation Health Claim Project Consortium is an inter-professional group of food industry, academia and research entities focused on compiling a successful application dossier for an EFSA health claim for tomato paste and reduced blood platelet aggregation - improving blood flow.
A dietary supplement, WSTC - an extract of tomato paste, which concentrates tomato phenols - was awarded an EFSA 13.5 New Function health claim in 2009.
Tomato phenols have a blood-thinning effect. These bioactive compounds are found in high concentrations in tomato paste and products like puree, passata, crushed, diced, sauces and juice.
The Tomato Foundation asked the simple question:
Why does a supplement made from tomato paste have an EFSA health claim but not the tomato paste it’s made from?
The Health Claim Project has 3 distinct phases:
Phase 1:
Feasibility study by NIZO Food Research. Completed in October 2016
Phase 2: Tomato paste/tomato product sample study at SSICA, begins in May 2018
Phase 3: Human nutrition trials, prepare dossier to EFSA, 2019 - 2020
The feasibility study suggests a single dose of WSTC is equal to
70-100 ml of standard tomato juice or any tomato product with similar tomato content.
Confirmation of the chemical availability of the bioactives in normal consumer tomato products is needed for EFSA validation. The tomato paste and consumer product sample study will be carried out by the SSICA food research institute - in Parma, Italy.
All consumer products that are tested in the study - and pass for sufficient tomato content - will be awarded a licence of use for the health claim.
Only project consortium companies will be able to use this health claim for their products.
The Tomato Foundation invites collaboration, participation and support for the study. For a complete list of current supporters please view the strategy document via the following link:
ENGLISH:
the tomato foundation | consortium
ITALIANO:
la tomato foundation | consortium
ESPAÑOL:
la tomato foundation | consortium
Please contact David Sutherland for all enquiries:
david@tomatofoundation.org