EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA); Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to acetic acid and maintenance of normal blood pressure (ID 1447) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 : Acetic acid and maintenance of normal blood pressure

Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies was asked to provide a scientific opinion on a list of health claims pursuant to Article 13 of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. This opinion addresses the scientific substantiation of health claims in relation to acetic acid and maintenance of normal blood pressure.

The scientific substantiation is based on the information provided by the Member States in the consolidated list of Article 13 health claims and references that EFSA has received from Member States or directly from stakeholders. The food that is the subject of the health claim is apple vinegar drink.

From the references provided for the scientific substantiation of the claim, the Panel assumes that the food constituent which is responsible for the claimed effect is acetic acid. The Panel considers that acetic acid is sufficiently characterised. The claimed effect is “helps maintain vascular health”.

The target population is assumed to be the general population. In the context of the clarifications provided by Member States, the Panel assumes that the claimed effect refers to the maintenance of normal blood pressure. The Panel considers that maintenance of normal blood pressure is a beneficial physiological effect.

In weighing the evidence, the Panel took into account that although one animal study showed an effect of acetic acid administration on systolic blood pressure, results from two human intervention studies are conflicting, and that a sustained effect of orally administered acetic acid on blood pressure is unlikely because of its rapid absorption and clearance from the circulation after consumption.

On the basis of the data presented, the Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of acetic acid and maintenance of normal blood pressure.