Compilation of nutrition and health claims evaluated by EFSA

The following is a list of nutrition and health claims evaluated by European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The authorized claims are shown with green text and the rejected claims are shown in red text.

Fish Oil Supplement

Fish oil is generally obtained from mackerel, herring, tuna, salmon, cod liver, whale blubber, and seal blubber. It is rich in omega-3 fatty acids mainly Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Let's read the details about fish oil below: 

EFSA evaluation of health claims related to COPPER

The following is a list of claims related to the copper. The claim explaining “ copper contributes to the cholesterol and glucose” was not authorized by European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Claims	EFSA opinion reference	Status
Copper contributes to maintenance of normal connective tissues	2009;7(9):1211	Authorised
Copper contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism	2009;7(9):1211 2011;9(4):2079	Authorised
Copper contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system	2009;7(9):1211 2011;9(4):2079	Authorised
Copper contributes to normal hair pigmentation	2009;7(9):1211	Authorised
Copper contributes to normal iron transport in the body	2009;7(9):1211	Authorised
Copper contributes to normal skin pigmentation	2009;7(9):1211	Authorised
Copper contributes to the normal function of the immune system	2009;7(9):1211 2011;9(4):2079	Authorised
Copper contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress	2009;7(9):1211	Authorised
Copper contributes to the cholesterol and glucose	2009;7(9):1211	Non-authorised

Safety and Effectiveness of "Disinfection Card"

With increasing COVID-19 pandemic situation, different disinfection and sterilization products are being introduced into the market. One of them is a disinfection card, claimed to protect from coronavirus infection.  It generally contains chlorine dioxide producing chemical called sodium chlorite. "Wearing a disinfection card on your neck only creates a little of low-concentration chlorine dioxide that blows in the wind, which has a very limited effect," said Dong Chuan, director of Shanxi University's Institute of Environmental Science. 

Moreover, sodium chlorite used in the card is a hazardous chemical. If the card is damaged, it can cause serious health problems from skin burns to even respiratory poisoning. Ministry of Health has declared that such products have not been given permission to be marketed. However, such products are widely available in the market. Are such products being monitored and controlled by the relevant regulatory body?

Let's check the material safety data sheet of sodium chlorite and related chemicals from Sigma Aldrich.

National Food Safety Policy 2076

Please find the "National Food Safety Policy, 2076" .

FDA takes action against fraudulent COVID-19 products

A number of fraudulent products claiming to prevent, treat, mitigate, diagnose or cure COVID-19 are emerging in the world. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is issuing warning letters to firms for selling such fraudulent products. They are actively monitoring to control the marketing of unapproved products and those making false or misleading claims. The detailed list of 76 warning letters related to COVID-19 is given in the table below. 

We can see a wide range of products ranging from hypochlorous spray, cannabidiol products, rapid test kits, iodine products, dietary supplements, hand sanitizers, herbal products, traditional medicines, homeopathic medicines, ayurvedic products, chlorine solution, nasal spray, misleading food products etc. Please have a look on the table for details. 

Non-Authorized (Rejected) Health Claims related to Calcium

The following claims were rejected by the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority).

Rejected Claims	EFSA opinion Reference
Calcium contributes to normal functioning of cells.	2010;8(10):1725
Calcium helps manage your weight	2010;8(10):1725
Calcium contributes to weight control. Calcium modulates energy metabolism
Calcium helps to keep a healthy blood pressure.	2009;7(9):1210
Calcium naturally present in dairy products is important for weight management	2010;8(10):1725
Dairy calcium has been shown to stimulate lipolysis.
Consumption of dairy calcium aids weight loss.
Dairy calcium modulates fat metabolism.
Dairy calcium helps promote fat loss.
Calcium promotes a healthy heart. Calcium maintains a healthy heart. Calcium helps build a healthy heart. Calcium helps promote a healthy heart	2009;7(9):1210
Oyster shells are rich source of calcium that contributes to healthy blood cholesterol level/ Oyster shells are a rich source of calcium that helps to maintain normal cholesterol level/Oyster shells are a rich source of calcium that decreases LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol.	2010;8(10):1725
Diet which includes several daily servings of low-fat milk products (about 1200 mg of calcium/day) helps to control blood pressure.	2009;7(9):1210
Supplementation with B-vitamins, iron, magnesium as well as vitamin C can reduce fatigue and tiredness in situations of inadequate micro-nutrient status.	2010;8(10):1725
Water-soluble vitamins, calcium, magnesium and zinc are essential for mental function and performance	2010;8(10):1725
In situations of inadequate micronutrient status, supplementation with water-soluble vitamins, minerals and zinc can sustain mental performance (e.g. concentration, learning, memory, reasoning).
Calcium supports the regulation of the acid base balance	2011;9(6):2201
Calcium strengthens the nails.	2010;8(10):1725
Calcium phosphoryl oligosaccharide  restores tooth enamel after meals, increases tooth surface hardness, helps strengthen teeth.	2011;9(6):2267
Calcium-containing fruit juices:  Reduced risk for dental erosion	Q-2009-00501

List of EFSA approved Health Claims for Calcium

The following claims were rejected by the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority).

Approved Claims	EFSA opinion Reference
Calcium contributes to normal blood clotting	2009;7(9):1210
Calcium contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism	2009;7(9):1210
Calcium contributes to normal muscle function	2009;7(9):1210
Calcium contributes to normal neurotransmission	2009;7(9):1210
Calcium contributes to the normal function of digestive enzymes	2009;7(9):1210
Calcium has a role in the process of cell division and specialisation	2010;8(10):1725
Calcium is needed for the maintenance of normal bones	2009;7(9):1210 2009;7(9):1272 2010;8(10):1725 2011;9(6):2203
Calcium is needed for the maintenance of normal teeth	2009;7(9):1210 2010;8(10):1725 2011;9(6):2203

Conditions of use of the claim: The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of calcium as referred to in the claim SOURCE OF [NAME OF VITAMIN/S] AND/OR [NAME OF MINERAL/S] as listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.

The Latest Monograph of Turmeric vs COVID-19

Turmeric is one of the most common household spices in Asian kitchen. It contains a yellow colored antioxidant called curcumin. It is known to have some therapeutic properties. It is considered possibly effective for hay fever, depression, high cholesterol, fatty liver, osteoarthritis and itching. However, it is considered possibly ineffective for Alzheimer disease, stomach ulcers and radiation dermatitis. 

Some people also believe its effectiveness against heartburn, memory skills, inflammatory bowel disease, stress etc, but we don't have sufficient scientific evidence to support this assumption. 

Turmeric is considered likely safe for use as food and when applied to the skin. Because of its antioxidant and therapeutic properties, it is considered one of the healthy food ingredient. 

Recently, the health benefits of turmeric has got a lot of attention from politician, relevant experts, medical practitioners and general public. There are different views from the different personnel. In general, they can be categorized as follows:

1. Turmeric is a medicine that can be used to cure or treat the COVID-19 disease.

2. Turmeric is a healthy food ingredient with some known therapeutic properties. Since healthy people are more likely to get recovered from COVID-19, the use of turmeric might benefit us during this pandemic situation.

3. Turmeric is a healthy ingredient. But, it does not help in the recovery from COVID-19.

4. Turmeric is just a food ingredient, as it gives yellow color. It does not have any health benefit or therapeutic properties.

Let's try to read the updated monograph of turmeric to evaluate different views.

Rapid Risk Analysis for Contaminants having No Regulatory Limit

With the advancement of analytical capabilities, new chemical contaminants having no regulatory limits are being detected in the foods. Under such scenarios, risk managers of the competent authority might not have enough time to wait for the full risk assessment. Nevertheless, they must take appropriate measures to protect the public health based on the rapid risk assessment. Codex has recently formulated a guideline CXG 92-2019 to address such scenarios.

This guideline should only be applied in the conditions: (a) the contaminant is new in the food and was not previously reported; (b) it has no regulatory limit; (c) there are no specific codex guidelines or standards related to that contaminants in the foods.

Decision tree for rapid risk analysis

The codex guideline CXG 92-2019 provides the decision tree for the rapid risk analysis and is shown in the figure below:

Food Composition Table For Nepal

PDF Document: "Food Composition Table For Nepal"

COVID-19 perception and fact check

Last week, we had carried out poll to collect the public opinion on the risk of coronavirus infection from different sources. The poll question was : "In your opinion, how much is the risk of coronavirus infection from the different sources?" The poll is still open for you to give your opinion here.

Let's check the results and do the fact check. The fact check information is obtained from  "German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment".

Nepalese National Formulary 2018 (3rd edition)

PDF Document: "Nepalese National Formulary 2018 (3rd Edition)"

Video: Food Recall Management

The video presentation by Mr. Harihar Guragain.

Video: Basic Understanding of HACCP_NEP

The video presentation by Mr. Harihar Guragain.

Video: Basic Understanding of HACCP_ENG

The video presentation by Mr. Harihar Guragain.

Video: How to Wash Hand Properly_NEP

The video presentation by Mr. Harihar Guragain.

Video: Best Practices in food industries during Pandemic _Nepali

The video presentation by Mr. Harihar Guragain.

Boarder rejection statistics of US and EU from developing countries (2002-2008)

 What do the boarder rejection statistics of US and EU from developing countries tell about?

FAO (2005) Guidelines on Food Legislation

 PDF Document: "FAO (2005) guidelines on Food Legislation"

FAO (2003) Guidelines: National Food Control System

 PDF Document: "FAO (2003) Guidelines for strengthening national food control systems"

Compilation of all Food and Feed Legislation in Nepal

Please find the comprehensive document on "compilation of food and feed acts, regulations, directives, guidelines, mandatory standards etc (all in one)". (If somebody has the latest version, please let me know)

Validation of Analytical Methods (Agilent)

 PDF Document: "Validation of Analytical Methods (Agilent)"

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Coronavirus infection

 

We are currently facing COVID-19 pandemic due to the infection with the new type of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Knowledge about the exact transmission methods of this coronavirus is still limited.

Last week, we had carried out poll about the risk of infection from different sources. We can check the results of the poll here. We can clearly see that we have a wide range of variation in our understanding. So, let's try to do a fact check.

Here, we will try to discuss frequently asked questions and answers.

(Please note that these are not my opinion. All the following information below has been obtained from German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment. To read the original article, please go to their website.)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What are the known transmission pathways of coronavirus?

The known transmission pathways are

·         a. Droplet infection (for example, when sneezing or coughing) is the most common pathways

·         b. Aerosol transmission when speaking - also seems possible

·         c. Contact or smear infections: viruses located on the hands enter the mucus membranes of the nose or eyes, where they may lead to an infection.

2. Can we become infected with coronaviruses via food or objects?

Public risk perception on the coronavirus infection: Poll results till now

Here are the preliminary results of risk perception of the coronavirus infection till now from the following poll.
The poll is still open for you to give your opinion here.

The poll question was : 
"In your opinion, how much is the risk of coronavirus infection from the different sources?"

And the preliminary results are:

Risk of coronavirus infection: Poll

On the occasion of World Food Safety Day, I would like to request you to give your opinion on the following poll.CHECK THE POLL RESULTS HERE

Evaluation of National Food Control System of Nepal: FINAL PART

In the previous posts, we had evaluated the National Food Control System of Nepal using the tool developed by FAO/WHO. The evaluation was done in four dimensions:

Dimension A: Are system resources and inputs adequate?

Dimension B: How do the controls function?

Dimension C: How does the system interact with stakeholders?

Dimension D: Is the system evidence based ? Does it support continuous improvements?

To read those evaluations in details, please click the links below:

1. National Food Control System of Nepal: Part 1

2. National Food Control System of Nepal: Part 2

3. National Food Control System of Nepal: Part 3

4. National Food Control System of Nepal: Part 4

We had used the following qualitative scoring scale during evaluation: (1 = Absent, 2 = Insufficient, 3 = Basic requirements exist, 4 = All requirements exist, 5 = Exceeds the requirement)

In this post we will compile the average scores within a sub-category and demonstrate them in the graphical format.

Synthesis and spectroscopic analysis of potent radical scavenger: Canolol

Please find the information about the canolol from the previous post.

All the information below is a part of my article in Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (J. Agric. Food Chem. 2012, 60, 30, 7506–7512). For details, please read the original article

In this post, we will focus our discussion on the chemistry of canolol. First, we will discuss the chemical synthesis in the laboratory. Afterwards, we will discuss NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) spectroscopy and mass spectrometric methods to confirm the structure of the synthesized compounds.

Chemical synthesis

Canolol was synthesized from Syringaldehyde by reacting with Malonic acid in the presence of Acetic acid and Piperidine under microwave condition. The chemistry of the reaction is shown in the Figure. The reaction involves series of condensation, dehydration and decarboxylation steps. Microwave supports the formation of polar intermediates during the reaction. The synthesized canolol was purified using a silica gel column chromatography. Crystallization was applied as an additional step to increase the purity. A saturated solution of the synthesized compound in hexane was prepared at ambient temperature, and crystallization was induced by storing it inside the freezer (−28 °C). Crystals (white) were separated from the mother liquor and dried under nitrogen. The structure of the purified compound was confirmed by NMR and mass spectrometry.

Figure: chemical synthesis of canolol from syringaldehyde

NMR Spectroscopy:

NMR Chemical Shifts of the compound is shown below. The position of the proton responsible for different NMR spectra has been indicated in the table. The NMR spectroscopy confirms the structure of the purified compound as canolol.

Liquid Chromatography−Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (LC−TOF MS) :

The LC-MS spectra indicated different fragments of the compound having m/z values of 203.06, 181.08, 166.06, 149.06, 121.06 and 103.05. The ms fragmentation pattern of the compound has been shown in the figure below.

Both the NMR and LC-TOF MS confirmed the structure of the synthesized compound. Canolol can be used in functional foods, Nutraceutical products, pharmaceutical products, chemicals industries etc. The compound is known to be formed during roasting of mustard and rapeseed. The roasted mustard and rapeseed oil is a good source of canonol. Roasted oil is an integral part of the Newari cuisines. Researchers from Canada and Germany have already started developing a commercial technology for the manufacturing of this compound.

Canolol as a potent antioxidant

Canolol is a potent antioxidant. The antioxidant property of the canolol is due to its’ radical scavenging activity. Canolol can easily donate a proton to the free radical to form a stable resonance structures. The mechanism of radical scavenging activity of this compound is shown in the figure below.

For those interested in the methodology:

NMR Spectroscopy:

The purified compound was dissolved in deuterated chloroform. The proton (1H) and carbon (13C) NMR spectra were taken using a Jeol EX300 Eclipse NMR (300 MHz) spectrophotometer (Japan).

Liquid Chromatography−Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (LC−TOF MS) Spectroscopy :

The LC−MS analysis of the purified compound was carried out using UltiMate 3000 ultrahigh-pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC, Dionex) equipped with a degasser, four solvent delivery modules, an autosampler, a column oven, and an UV detector coupled with a MicroTOF MS instrument (Bruker). The purified compound was dissolved in an isopropanol/water/acetic acid (90:10:0.1, v/v/v) mixture (10 μg/mL) and then injected on a C8 Zorbax 300 SB column (Agilent, Santa Clara, CA). Mobile phase A was a water/acetonitrile/acetic acid mixture (90:10:0.1, v/v/v), and mobile phase B was an acetonitrile/ water/acetic acid mixture (90:10:0.1, v/v/v). The method was run with 10% mobile phase B for 1 min, then a gradient was applied to reach 100% of mobile phase B in 11 min, which was held for 5 min. Afterward, the initial conditions were reached in 0.5 min, and the column was allowed to equilibrate for 4.5 min before a subsequent analytical run. The solvent flow rate was 0.2 mL/min. Electrospray ionization (ESI) in positive-ion mode was used, and m/z values were scanned from 50 to 1000. The capillary voltage was set at 4500 V, and the end plate offset was at −500 V. The nebulizer pressure was 0.5 bar and was heated to 190 °C with dry nitrogen at a flow rate of 4 mL/ min.

All the information above is a part of my article in Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (J. Agric. Food Chem. 2012, 60, 30, 7506–7512). For details, please read the original article. Contact me if you have trouble accessing it.

Please find the information about the canolol from the previous post.

Read the original article below: