Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to pomegranate/pomegranate juice and maintenance of normal blood cholesterol concentrations (ID 1162, 1320, 2107, 2167), maintenance of normal erectile function (ID 1163), protection of lipids from oxidative damage (ID 1201, 1319, 2123), “antioxidant and anti-aging properties” (ID 1901), increase in appetite after unintentional weight loss leading to an increase in energy intake (ID 2122) and maintenance of normal blood glucose concentrations (ID 4471) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006

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 pomegranate/pomegranate juice and maintenance of normal blood cholesterol concentrations, maintenance of normal erectile function, protection of lipids from oxidative damage, “antioxidant and anti-aging properties”, increase in appetite after unintentional weight loss leading to an increase in energy intake and maintenance of normal blood glucose concentrations. 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 Panel considers that, whereas pomegranate/pomegranate juice and polyphenols in pomegranate/pomegranate juice are not sufficiently characterised, the food constituents, punicalagin and ellagic acid in pomegranate/pomegranate juice, which the Panel assumes to be the subject of the health claims, are sufficiently characterised.