Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to olive oil and maintenance of normal blood LDL-cholesterol concentrations (ID 1316, 1332), maintenance of normal (fasting) blood concentrations of triglycerides (ID 1316, 1332), maintenance of normal blood HDL-cholesterol concentrations (ID 1316, 1332) and maintenance of normal blood glucose concentrations (ID 4244) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA)

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 (EC) No 1924/2006. This opinion addresses the scientific substantiation of health claims in relation to olive oil and maintenance of normal blood LDL-cholesterol concentrations, maintenance of normal (fasting) blood concentrations of triglycerides, maintenance of normal blood HDL-cholesterol concentrations and maintenance of normal blood glucose concentrations. 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 that is the subject of the health claims is olive oil. The Panel considers that olive oil is sufficiently characterised in relation to the claimed effects. Maintenance of normal blood LDL-cholesterol concentrations The claimed effects are "health of the cardiovascular system, general population" and "improves blood lipid profile". The target population is assumed to be the general population. In the context of the proposed wording and clarifications provided by Member States, the Panel assumes that the claimed effects refer to the maintenance of normal LDL-cholesterol concentrations. The Panel considers that maintenance of normal blood LDL-cholesterol concentrations is a beneficial physiological effect. In weighing the evidence, the Panel took into account that the evidence provided did not establish that olive oil consumption had an effect on blood LDL-cholesterol concentrations beyond what could be expected from the fatty acid composition of olive oil, and that the only study which assessed the effects of olive oil while controlling for its fatty acid composition did not find any significant changes in LDL-cholesterol concentrations when comparing olive oils with high, moderate and low polyphenol content. On the basis of the data presented, the Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of olive oil and maintenance of normal blood LDL-cholesterol concentrations beyond what could be expected from the fatty acid composition of olive oil. A claim on the replacement of mixtures of SFAs with cis-MUFAs and/or cis-PUFAs in foods or diets and maintenance of normal blood LDL-cholesterol concentrations has been assessed with a favourable outcome. A claim on linoleic acid and maintenance of normal blood cholesterol concentrations has also already been assessed with a favourable outcome. Maintenance of normal ( fasting) blood concentrations of triglycerides The claimed effects are "health of the cardiovascular system, general population" and "improves blood lipid profile". The target population is assumed to be the general population. In the context of the proposed wording and clarifications provided by Member States, the Panel assumes that the claimed effects refer to the maintenance of normal ( fasting) blood concentrations of triglycerides. The Panel considers that maintenance of normal (fasting) blood concentrations of triglycerides may be a beneficial physiological effect. When carbohydrates are replaced with fats, fasting triglyceride levels are reduced, but there is no difference between the effects of different fatty acid classes. In clinical trials, no differences have been observed between olive oil, rapeseed oil, corn oil and sunflower oil with respect to their effects on blood concentrations of triglycerides. On the basis of the data presented, the Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of olive oil and maintenance of normal (fasting) blood concentrations of triglycerides. Maintenance of normal blood HDL-cholesterol concentrations The claimed effects are "health of the cardiovascular system, general population" and "improves blood lipid profile". The target population is assumed to be the general population. In the context of the proposed wording and clarifications provided by Member States, the Panel assumes that the claimed effects refer to the maintenance of normal HDL-cholesterol concentrations. The Panel considers that maintenance of normal HDL-cholesterol concentrations (without increasing LDL-cholesterol concentrations) is a beneficial physiological effect. In weighing the evidence, the Panel took into account that based on its fatty acid composition olive oil is not expected to have an effect on HDL-cholesterol concentrations, that a linear dose-response effect of olive oil polyphenols on HDL-cholesterol concentrations was observed in one study only, and that no evidence on a plausible mechanism by which olive oil polyphenols could exert an effect on HDL-cholesterol concentrations has been provided. On the basis of the data presented, the Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of olive oil and maintenance of normal HDL-cholesterol concentrations. Maintenance of normal blood glucose concentrations The claimed effect is "permet de reguler le glucoses dans le sang". The target population is assumed to be the general population. The Panel assumes that the claimed effect refers to the maintenance of normal blood glucose concentrations. The Panel considers that long-term maintenance of normal blood glucose concentrations is a beneficial physiological effect. No references were provided from which conclusions could be drawn for the scientific substantiation of the claimed effect. On the basis of the data presented, the Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of olive oil and maintenance of normal blood glucose concentrations.