Prebiotics in food and dietary supplements: a roadmap to EU health claims
Numerous studies have established that prebiotic ingredients in foods and dietary supplements may play a role in supporting human health. Over the three decades that have passed since prebiotics were first defined as a concept, research has revealed a complex universe of prebiotic-induced changes to the human microbiota. There are strong indications of a direct link between these prebiotic-induced changes and specific health benefits. However, at the present time, the EU has not permitted use of the term 'prebiotic' in connection with an approved health claim. This paper is the outcome of a workshop organized on the 25<sup>th</sup> October 2023 by the European branch of the International Life Science Institute (ILSI). It provides an overview of the regulatory requirements for authorized health claims in the EU, key areas of prebiotic research, and findings to date in relation to prebiotics and digestive, immune, metabolic and cognitive health. Research gaps and documentation challenges are then explored and a roadmap proposed for achieving authorization of 'prebiotic' in the wording of future EU health claims.
Authors
- Alessandro Busetti
- Anirikh Chakrabarti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7804-209X)
- Lesley A. Houghton (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5351-0229)
- Philip W. J. Burnet (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6374-8054)
- Nathalie M. Delzenne (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2115-6082)
- Annegret Nielsen
- Kathy Musa‐Veloso (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0808-7919)
- Kieran Tuohy (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6882-7192)
- Paul de Vos (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9618-2408)
- Gemma Walton (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5426-5635)
- Damien Guillemet (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6638-0531)
- Philip C. Calder (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6038-710X)
- Lucien F. Harthoorn
- Ellen E. Blaak (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2496-3464)
- A.F.M. Kardinaal (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2331-2264)
- Louise Dye (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2331-4227)
- Naomi Venlet (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6190-0713)
- Elaine E. Vaughan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-5712-3617)
- Salminen Seppo
- Cath Mersh
- Justyna Palasinska
- Charlotte Hubermont
Institutions
- University of Leeds (GB)
- University Medical Center Groningen (NL)
- University of Turku (FI)
- Intertek (Canada) (CA)
- Maastricht University Medical Centre (NL)
- University of Oxford (GB)
- Analyze & Realize (Germany) (DE)
- International Life Sciences Institute Europe (BE)
- NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre (GB)
- Metabolon (United States) (US)
- Cargill (Belgium) (BE)
- Nexira (France) (FR)
- Clasado BioSciences (United Kingdom) (GB)
- Nederlands Instituut Voor Zuivel Oonderzoek (NL)
- University of Southampton (GB)
- University of Reading (GB)
- University of Sheffield (GB)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Gut Microbes
- Published
- 2024-11-15
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1080/19490976.2024.2428848
- Citations
- 7
- Primary Topic
- Microbial Metabolites in Food Biotechnology
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 2.17
Funders
- International Life Sciences Institute