Final Report


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

Date:
29/7/02

Proposed generic health claim:

The inclusion of at least 25g soya protein per day as part of a diet low in saturated fat can help reduce blood cholesterol


The totality of the evidence substantiates the health claim:

Yes

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No

 

Points to Note:

1. In reaching this decision the JHCI Expert Committee was presented with evidence that focused on an intake of 25g soya protein per day. Therefore evidence based on intake levels above and below 25g has not been considered as part of this submission.

2. Products carrying this claim must:

i) Not imply that consumption of more, or less, than 25g per day is advantageous.

ii) Not imply that consumption of 25g soya protein per day is a dietary requirement.

iii) Contain a minimum of 5g* of soya protein per serving (*Amended 260903).

iv) State what constitutes a serving and the amount of soya protein provided in each serving expressed as grams or millilitres, e.g. ‘One 200ml glass’; ‘One 125g pot’ etc.

v) State the proportion (i.e. a ‘fifth’, ‘quarter’, ‘third’, ‘half’ etc) of the 25g daily intake in each serving, e.g. ‘A 100g serving contains 8.34g of soya protein, which is one third of 25g’.

3. The claim relates to soya protein that has retained its naturally occurring isoflavones.

4. 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). The JHCI Expert Committee advised 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.

5. 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.

6. 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

Final JHCI Soya Submission