Authorised EU health claims for barley and oat beta-glucans

Abstract: Beta-glucan’s health associations for two Article 13.1 and two 14.1(a) claims have been successfully assessed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Three claims relate to the maintenance or reduction of blood cholesterol and consumption of 3 g beta-glucan from oats or barley. Supportive evidence cited is largely meta-analyses of clinical trials. Early analyses indicate that ~ 3 g of soluble fibre from oats reduced cholesterol by 0.13 mmol/L, whereas more recent analyses indicate a reduction in low density lipoprotein (LDL-C) of ~ 0.27 mmol/L for a similar intake. The fourth claim relates to reduction in post-prandial glycaemia with the consumption of 4 g beta-glucans/30 g available carbohydrate.