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. 2020 Jun 9;12(6):1725. doi: 10.3390/nu12061725

Table 4.

Summary of therapeutic and disease reduction claims supported by dietary fibre in Australia and New Zealand, Canada, Europe, and the US.

Region Fibre Type Claim Claim Type Criteria
Australia and New Zealand Beta-glucan [23] Reduces blood cholesterol High-level health claim *
  • ■

    One or more of the following oat or barley foods:

  • ■

    Oat bran; or

  • ■

    Whole grain oats; or

  • ■

    Whole grain barley; and

  • ■

    At least 1 g per serving beta-glucan from the abovementioned foods; and

  • ■

    Claim is in the context of a diet low in saturated fatty acids; and

  • ■

    Indication that 3 g/day beta glucan is required; and

  • ■

    The food meets the nutritional criteria of the NPSC [23,33].
Canada Barley beta-glucan [43] Reduces cholesterol levels Therapeutic claim
  • ■

    Food contains at least 1.0 g barley beta-glucan per reference amount † and per serving of stated size; and

  • ■

    Claim must indicate that 3 g/day beta-glucan from barley fibre lowers cholesterol levels; and

  • ■

    Food must meet specific nutritional requirements.

Oat beta-glucan [42] Reduces cholesterol levels Therapeutic claim
  • ■

    Food contains at least 0.75 g oat beta-glucan per reference amount † and per serving of stated size; and

  • ■

    Claim must indicate 3 g/day beta-glucan from oat fibre lowers cholesterol levels; and

  • ■

    Food must meet specific nutritional requirements.

Polysaccharide complex (glucomannan, xanthan gum, sodium alginate) [46] Reduces cholesterol levels Therapeutic claim
  • ■

    Food contains at least 3.3 g/of polysaccharide complex per reference amount † and per serving of stated size; and

  • ■

    Claim must indicate 10 g/day polysaccharide complex lowers cholesterol levels; and

  • ■

    Food must meet specific nutritional requirements.
Psyllium [45] Reduces cholesterol levels Therapeutic claim
  • ■

    Food contains at least 1.75 g psyllium soluble fibre per reference amount † and per serving of stated size; and

  • ■

    Claim must indicate 7 g/day psyllium fibre lowers cholesterol levels; and

  • ■

    Food must meet specific nutritional requirements.
Europe Barley beta-glucans [41] Reduces cholesterol levels Reduced disease risk factor health claim
  • ■

    The claim can be used for foods which provide at least 1 g of barley beta-glucan per quantified portion; and

  • ■

    Information is provided to the consumer that the beneficial effect is obtained with 3 g/day of barley beta-glucan.
Oat beta-glucan [40] Reduces cholesterol levels Reduced disease risk factor health claim
  • ■

    The claim can be used for foods which provide at least 1 g of oat beta-glucan per quantified portion; and

  • ■

    Information is provided to the consumer that the beneficial effect is obtained with 3 g/day of oat beta-glucan.
United States Barley beta-glucan [44] May reduce risk of coronary heart disease Authorized health claim
  • ■

    Food contains at least 0.75 g beta glucan soluble fibre from barley per RACC §; and

  • ■

    Claim must indicate 3 g/day beta-glucan from barley fibre lowers cholesterol levels; and

  • ■

    Food must meet specific nutritional requirements.
Oat beta-glucan [44] May reduce risk of coronary heart disease Authorized health claim
  • ■

    Food contains at least 0.75 g beta-glucan soluble fibre from oat per RACC §; and

  • ■

    Claim must indicate 3 g/day beta-glucan from oat fibre lowers cholesterol levels;

  • ■

    Food must meet specific nutritional requirements.
Psyllium husk [44] May reduce risk of coronary heart disease Authorized health claim
  • ■

    Food contains at least 1.7 g psyllium soluble fibre per RACC §; and

  • ■

    Claim must indicate 7 g/day soluble psyllium fibre lowers cholesterol levels; and

  • ■

    Food must meet specific nutritional requirements.
Fruit, vegetables, and grain products that contain soluble fibre [47] May reduce risk of coronary heart disease Authorized health claim
  • ■

    Food contains at least 0.6 g soluble fibre (without fortification) per RACC §; and

  • ■

    Content of soluble fibre is listed in the nutrition information panel; and

  • ■

    Food must meet specific nutritional requirements.
Fiber-containing grain products, fruits, and vegetables and cancer [48] May reduce the risk of some types of cancers Authorized health claim
  • ■

    Food meets the nutrient content requirements to be considered a “good source of fibre” (without fortification) (Table 1); and

  • ■

    Food must meet specific nutritional requirements.

Abbreviations: NPSC, nutrient profiling scoring criterion; RACC, reference amount customarily consumed. * Australia and New Zealand: A high-level health claim refers to a serious disease or biomarker for a serious disease. A serious disease is a disease, disorder, or condition that is generally diagnosed, treated, or managed in consultation with or with supervision by a health care professional [38]. † Canada: A reference amount is a regulated serving size that is typically consumed in a single meal event [21]. § US: RACC is a regulated serving size consumed at a single meal event [27].