Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to flavan-3-ols and \u201cvascular activity\u201d (ID 1964) and \u201cdermal activity\u201d (ID 1965) 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 flavan-3-ols and the following claimed effects: \u201cvascular activity\u201d and \u201cdermal activity\u201d. 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 constituents that are the subject of this opinion are single and oligomeric flavan-3-ols related to the following claimed effects: \u201cvascular activity\u201d and \u201cdermal activity\u201d. The single flavan-3-ol (i.e. catechin and epicatechin) and oligomeric flavan-3-ol (i.e. procyanidins) content in different types of foods of plant origin is measurable by established methods, but the single versus oligomeric flavan-3-ol profile varies widely depending on the food source and may have an impact on the claimed effects. The Panel considers that the food constituents, single and oligomeric flavan-3-ols, which are the subject of this opinion, are not sufficiently characterised in relation to the claimed effects considered in this opinion. On the basis of the data presented, the Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship cannot be established between the consumption of single and oligomeric flavan-3-ols and the claimed effects considered in this opinion