Making claims: functional foods for managing appetite and weight

Area of Science:

• Nutritional Science
• Food Science
• Regulatory Science

Background:

• Functional foods are marketed with claims like 'freedom from hunger' and 'feel fuller for longer'.
• The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has established a legislative framework for evaluating such health claims.
• Physiological satiety signals, influenced by food consumption, are the mechanism through which functional foods may operate.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the scientific substantiation required for functional food claims.
• To clarify the definition of a 'useful action' in the context of appetite regulation.
• To emphasize the critical role of precise claim wording in consumer communication.

Main Methods:

• Review of the European Food Safety Authority's legislative framework for health claims.
• Analysis of the scientific evidence required to validate claims related to satiety and appetite regulation.
• Examination of methods for scientifically evaluating the efficacy of functional foods.

Main Results:

• Claims must be scientifically substantiated and clearly understood by consumers.
• The definition of a beneficial effect (e.g., reduced hunger, increased fullness, altered food intake, energy balance, or body weight) needs careful consideration.
• Existing scientific methods can evaluate the validity of functional food claims.

Conclusions:

• The wording of functional food claims is critical and must accurately reflect the scientific evidence.
• Communicating the difference between proof of concept and guaranteed success is essential for consumer understanding.
• Regulatory bodies require robust scientific evidence to approve functional food claims related to satiety.