EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA); Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to a combination of Lactobacillus gasseri PA 16/8, Bifidobacterium bifidum M 20/5 and Bifidobacterium longum SP 07/3 and maintenance of upper respiratory tract defence against pathogens (ID 931, further assessment) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006: EFSA-Q-2012-00128

Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies was asked to provide a scientific opinion on a health claim pursuant to Article 13.1 of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 in the framework of further assessment related to a combination of Lactobacillus gasseri PA 16/8, Bifidobacterium bifidum M 20/5 and Bifidobacterium longum SP 07/3 and maintenance of upper respiratory tract defence against pathogens.

The food constituent that is the subject of the claim, a combination of Lactobacillus gasseri PA 16/8, Bifidobacterium bifidum M 20/5 and Bifidobacterium longum SP 07/3, is sufficiently characterised. The claimed effect, maintenance of upper respiratory tract defence against pathogens, is a beneficial physiological effect.

The proposed target population is the general adult population. The Panel notes that the only human intervention study provided did not show an effect of consumption of a combination of Lactobacillus gasseri PA 16/8, Bifidobacterium bifidum M 20/5 and Bifidobacterium longum SP 07/3 on defence against pathogens in the upper respiratory tract.

On the basis of the data presented, the Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of a combination of Lactobacillus gasseri PA 16/8, Bifidobacterium bifidum M 20/5 and Bifidobacterium longum SP 07/3 and maintenance of upper respiratory tract defence against pathogens.