Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to EPA, DHA, DPA and maintenance of normal blood pressure (ID 502), maintenance of normal HDL-cholesterol concentrations (ID 515), maintenance of normal (fasting) blood concentrations of triglycerides (ID 517), maintenance of normal LDL-cholesterol concentrations (ID 528, 698) and maintenance of joints (ID 503, 505, 507, 511, 518, 524, 526, 535, 537) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006

Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies was asked to provide a scientific opinion on a list of health claims pursuant to Article 13 of Regulation 1924/2006. This opinion addresses the scientific substantiation of health claims in relation to EPA, DHA and DPA and the following claimed effects: maintenance of normal blood pressure, maintenance of normal HDL-cholesterol concentrations, maintenance of normal (fasting) blood concentrations of triglycerides, maintenance of normal LDL-cholesterol concentrations, and maintenance of joints. The scientific substantiation is based on the information provided by the Member States in the consolidated list of Article 13 health claims and references that EFSA has received from Member States or directly from stakeholders. The food constituents which are the subject of the health claims are mixed long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA), namely docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in combination with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and, for ID 511, with docosapentaenoic acid (DPA). The Panel considers that the food constituents, EPA, DHA and DPA, which are the subject of the health claims are sufficiently characterised. The Panel considers that maintenance of normal blood pressure, maintenance of normal HDLcholesterol (without increasing LDL-cholesterol) concentrations, maintenance of normal (fasting) blood concentrations of triglycerides, maintenance of normal LDL-cholesterol concentrations, and maintenance of normal joints are beneficial to human health. On the basis of the data available, the Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has been established between the consumption of EPA and DHA and the reduction of blood pressure and of blood concentrations of triglycerides. Intakes of EPA and DHA of about 2-4 g/d are required to obtain the claimed effect on blood triglycerides. Intakes of EPA and DHA of about 3 g/d are required to obtain the claimed effect on blood pressure. The target population is adult men and women. On the basis of the data available, the Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of EPA and DHA (and DPA for ID 511) and the maintenance of normal HDL-cholesterol concentrations, the maintenance of normal LDL-cholesterol concentrations, or the maintenance of normal joints.