Jenny Plumb

EuroFIR eBASIS: application for health claims submissions and evaluations.

Background:The European Food Information Resource (EuroFIR) network has established the eBASIS (Bioactive Substances in Food Information System) online food composition and biological effects database for plant-derived bioactive compounds (phytochemicals). On the basis of submitted evidence, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) expert panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies assesses whether claims made under articles 13.1, 13.5 or 14 of the Regulation (EC) 1924/2006, which governs the use of nutrition and health claims on foods, are scientifically justified. This report evaluates the eBASIS biological effects database in the preparation and evaluation of health claims dossiers.Methods:The eBASIS biological effects database is a compilation of expert-evaluated data extracted from the literature, prioritising human intervention studies to investigate health effects of phytochemicals. Currently included are >750 records from 445 studies providing data on 56 validated biomarkers, mainly relating to cardio-metabolic and bone health outcomes. The data cover 144 bioactive compounds from 17 compound classes. Using the EFSA Register of Questions and the database of general function health claims, we identified claims relating to phytochemicals made under articles 13.1, 13.5 and 14 and compared them with the eBASIS database to identify overlap between them.Results:The EFSA online health claims database contains 4240 submissions under article 13.1, of which 2157 pertain to plants or plant-based bioactive compounds; 496 of these relate to plants or bioactive compounds included in the eBASIS biological effects database. Out of the 18 current 13.5 ‘new function’ claims on EFSAs register of questions, 7 are for plants or plant-based bioactive compounds, of which 6 are included in eBASIS. Of the 222 defined article 14 claims, 21 pertain to plants or plant-based bioactive compounds, of which 19 are in eBASIS.Conclusions:There is extensive overlap between eBASIS and the submitted health claims that relate to plant-based bioactive compounds. EuroFIR eBASIS is a useful tool for regulators to independently check completeness of health claims applications relating to phytochemicals and is a potentially valuable resource to assist claimants in the compilation of dossiers on functional foods and health claims.

ePlantLIBRA: A composition and biological activity database for bioactive compounds in plant food supplements.

The newly developed ePlantLIBRA database is a comprehensive and searchable database, with up-to-date coherent and validated scientific information on plant food supplement (PFS) bioactive compounds, with putative health benefits as well as adverse effects, and contaminants and residues. It is the only web-based database available compiling peer reviewed publications and case studies on PFS. A user-friendly, efficient and flexible interface has been developed for searching, extracting, and exporting the data, including links to the original references. Data from over 570 publications have been quality evaluated and entered covering 70 PFS or their botanical ingredients.

eBASIS (Bioactive Substances in Food Information Systems) and Bioactive Intakes: Major Updates of the Bioactive Compound Composition and Beneficial Bioeffects Database and the Development of a Probabilistic Model to Assess Intakes in Europe

eBASIS (Bioactive Substances in Food Information Systems), a web-based database that contains compositional and biological effects data for bioactive compounds of plant origin, has been updated with new data on fruits and vegetables, wheat and, due to some evidence of potential beneficial effects, extended to include meat bioactives. eBASIS remains one of only a handful of comprehensive and searchable databases, with up-to-date coherent and validated scientific information on the composition of food bioactives and their putative health benefits. The database has a user-friendly, efficient, and flexible interface facilitating use by both the scientific community and food industry. Overall, eBASIS contains data for 267 foods, covering the composition of 794 bioactive compounds, from 1147 quality-evaluated peer-reviewed publications, together with information from 567 publications describing beneficial bioeffect studies carried out in humans. This paper highlights recent updates and expansion of eBASIS and the newly-developed link to a probabilistic intake model, allowing exposure assessment of dietary bioactive compounds to be estimated and modelled in human populations when used in conjunction with national food consumption data. This new tool could assist small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the development of food product health claim dossiers for submission to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Intake of selected bioactive compounds from plant food supplements containing fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) among Finnish consumers.

The purpose of this study was to estimate the intake of selected bioactive compounds from fennel-containing plant food supplements (PFS) among Finnish consumers. The estimated average intake of estragole was 0.20mg/d, of trans-anethole 1.15mg/d, of rosmarinic acid 0.09mg/d, of p-coumaric acid 0.0068mg/d, of kaempferol 0.0034mg/d, of luteolin 0.0525μg/d, of quercetin 0.0246mg/d, of matairesinol 0.0066μg/d and of lignans 0.0412μg/d. The intakes of kaempferol, quercetin, luteolin, matairesinol and lignans from PFS were low in comparison with their dietary supply. The intake of estragole was usually moderate, but a heavy consumption of PFS may lead to a high intake of estragole. The intake of trans-anethole did not exceed the acceptable daily intake, but PFS should be taken into account when assessing the total exposure. To our knowledge, this study provided the first intake estimates of trans-anethole, p-coumaric acid and rosmarinic acid in human populations.

The European Food Information Resource Network (EuroFIR) internet-deployed database (EuroFIR BASIS): an online composition and biological effects database of plant-based bioactive compounds

There is growing evidence that certain non-nutritive bioactive compounds, in particular secondary metabolites of plants, may promote optimal human health and reduce the risk of chronic disease. Composition data on bioactive compounds are an essential cornerstone in nutrition and health research; for example, in the assessment of dietary exposure to polyphenols. Biological effects data may also have valuable applications; for example, in the assessment of health claims. EuroFIR is developing the unique EuroFIR BASIS, which includes data on the composition and biological effects of bioactive compounds. EuroFIR BASIS involves twenty-eight participants from seventeen countries, organised into three task groups: composition; biological; plant source. Experts in composition and biological effects of specific compound classes and health and disease outcomes are designated to their appropriate task groups, which are coordinated by composition and biological effects database managers respectively. Data from the published literature are critically assessed and extracted for inclusion in the database via input forms designed for the purpose. Data are evaluated and graded using predefined criteria. A quality assurance system for food composition data developed by the EuroFIR Network was applied to EuroFIR BASIS. Major European food plants are listed and supplementary information on compound classes and biomarkers is provided. EuroFIR BASIS is searchable by compound, plant food or biological effect, outputs are user driven and reports can be exported to chosen spreadsheet formats. An example of a composition report extract is shown.