Cocoa flavanol health claim becomes EU law
The claim says that 200 mg of cocoa flavanols either from cocoa beverages or dark chocolate contribute to normal blood flow.
200mg of cocoa flavanols daily, is equivalent to 2.5 high flavanol cocoa powder or 10g of high flavanol dark chocolate, about one fifth of a regular sized chocolate bar.
Barry Callebaut has propriety rights to the health claim for five years and will use it for cocoa powder and chocolate produced through its flavanol-preserving ACTICOA method.
Peter Boone, Chief Innovation Officer at Barry Callebaut, said: "Receiving the right to use a health claim on cocoa flavanols by the EU Commission is most valuable for us as it is a great reward for long years of extensive research. The health claim is opening up new market potential. Since we received the positive opinion from EFSA on our submitted health claim, we saw a lot of interest among our customers."
Barry Callebaut submitted the health claim in early 2012 and received a positive opinion from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in July 2012. In January this year, the claim was reworded in a draft decision by the Commission.
The original wording read: "Cocoa flavanols help maintain endothelium-dependent vasodilation which contributes to normal blood flow." The claim now reads:"Cocoa flavanols help maintain the elasticity of blood vessels, which contributes to normal blood flow"
