Final Report

JHCI has concluded its deliberations on a generic health claim for oats and reduction of blood cholesterol. The claim may now be applied to appropriate foods under the conditions set out in the following report.

Points to Note:

1. The claim relates to whole oats, oat bran, rolled oats and whole oat flour. Beta-glucan soluble fibre may serve as a marker for the oat product that is the subject of the claim, when:

• oat bran provides at least 5.5% beta glucan soluble fibre
• rolled oats provides at least 4% beta glucan soluble fibre
• whole oat flour provides at least 4% beta glucan soluble fibre

2. Products carrying the claim should:

1. contain at least 0.75 g beta-glucan soluble fibre per serving, or in an amount that is customarily consumed in a day that makes a reasonable contribution to a healthy diet.
2. state what constitutes a serving; the amount of beta-glucan soluble fibre provided in each serving, expressed as grams; and the proportion (i.e. ‘quarter’, ‘third’, ‘half’ etc) it contributes to a 3g suggested daily intake in each serving, e.g.

   ‘One 30g serving provides 0.75g of beta glucan soluble fibre from oats, which is one quarter of 3g, the suggested daily intake’.

3. There is no evidence for a minimum or threshold intake of oats to produce an effect and it is unlikely that very high doses produce ever-increasing benefit. Claims should not lead consumers to believe that oats have unique actions on cholesterol, or that very large intakes offer special advantages.

4. The claim should be set in the context of a diet that is low in saturated fat and a healthy lifestyle.

5. The JHCI Code states that health claims that could encourage high levels of consumption must not be made for any substances where there is evidence that high intakes of the food or substance could be harmful or unlikely to contribute to a healthy diet (refer section 6.2.16). JHCI advises that products carrying the claim should make a positive contribution to healthy eating. Products high in saturated fatty acids, salt, sugar etc should therefore not be promoted on this basis.

6. The JHCI strongly recommends that companies seek advice from the Secretariat before using this claim to help ensure that the food product is consistent with good nutrition principles and complies with the JHCI Code of Practice for Health Claims on Food.

7. The wording of the claim has been carefully formulated to reflect the evidence on which the claim has been approved. Wording may be altered, in consultation with the JHCI, as long as the claim does not imply health benefits beyond the scope of the evidence, change the meaning of the claim; or, confuse consumers.

8. The terms ‘whole oats’, ‘oat bran’, ‘rolled oats’ and ‘whole oat flour’, may be used interchangeably in the claim instead of ‘oats’. For example:

“The inclusion of oat bran as part of a diet low in saturated fat and a healthy lifestyle can help reduce blood cholesterol.  This product contains Xg of Y oat bran”.

Where Y = an eligible source of oat bran, rolled oats or whole oat flour (refer point 1, above).

Further information:

JHCI Expert Committee report on oats claim

Dossier of evidence for oats claim