EFSA recognizes Roquette quality and scientific rigour

This summer, Roquette received a favourable opinion from EFSA concerning a 13.5 health claim. The claim relates to the company’s NUTRIOSE® fibre, a non-fermentable carbohydrate in the buccal cavity and the maintenance of tooth mineralisation. For Roquette this first claim application success is positive confirmation in particular of EFSA’s recognition of the quality and scientific rigour of the company’s nutritional studies devoted to its ingredients. At the same time the opinion is seen as a “strengthening of one of Roquette’s strategic development areas: nutrition-health”.


Last January, Roquette submitted a health claim application to EFSA in accordance with article 13.5. This concerned the physiological benefits of the non-fermentable fibre* NUTRIOSE® in the maintenance of tooth mineralisation. The claim for which EFSA issued a favourable opinion states that “consumption of food/drinks containing “non-fermentable” carbohydrates instead of sugar may help maintain tooth mineralisation by decreasing tooth demineralisation”.

Sophie CHESNOY, NUTRIOSE® Development Manager points out that:

“Roquette proactively supports and promotes the recognition of its products’ health benefits. This is our first health claim application and EFSA’s opinion is an encouragement to us to make headway on other projects. Our priority is innovation for the benefit of our customers and the health of the consumer.”

Article 13.5 health claims:

Claim based on new scientific data. Article 13.5 of the regulation states: new health claims may be included in the list of claims already authorised on the basis of the submission to and for assessment by EFSA of a scientific dossier.


Nutrition-health is a major priority and challenge for producers, consumers and public authorities. At Roquette it has been a strategic development area for many years.

Dr. Bertrand Rodriguez, Scientific Communication Officer, R&D Roquette, comments:
“Nutrition-health has been a priority research area for over half a century in the Roquette group. With its nutrition-targeted ingredients such as polyols, fibres, proteins and more recently micro-algae, Roquette is in a position to supply reliable and sustainable solutions not only for dental health, but also to combat diabetes and obesity and to control weight”



Elisabeth Goidin, Corporate Regulatory Affairs Dept Food Sector Manager, adds:
“Today, we are developing protocols and studies with our Scientific Nutrition team to demonstrate the nutritional and health properties of our ingredients. This work is performed with a view to submitting claim applications. Our regulatory strategy accords with developments at the European legislation level and with opinions issued by EFSA. As with any regulatory matter, the 13.5 claim application is the result of joint work by our scientific and regulatory experts, sometimes supported by the opinion of consultants.”



NUTRIOSE® is a non-fermentable carbohydrate in the buccal cavity. The ingredient has a host of nutritional attributes of interest to food product formulators. A non-viscous soluble fibre with a neutral taste, NUTRIOSE® is obtained from cereals (wheat and maize) and has food ingredient status. It can readily be used in a wide range of foodstuffs to improve their nutritional profile (fibre enrichment, reduction of sugar content, calories etc.). A special characteristic is its very good digestive tolerance.

Pasman et al. Long-term gastro-intestinal tolerance of NUTRIOSE® FB in healthy men. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2006; 60(8): 1024-34.

Learn more about Nutriose in our website:

http://www.nutriose.com