Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to Lactobacillus gasseri CECT5714 and Lactobacillus coryniformis CECT5711 and \u201cnatural defence/immune system\u201d (ID 930) 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 Lactobacillus gasseri CECT5714 and Lactobacillus coryniformis CECT5711 and \u201cnatural defence/immune system\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 constituent that is the subject of the health claim is a combination of the strains Lactobacillus gasseri CECT5714 and Lactobacillus coryniformis CECT571. The Panel considers that the combination of the strains, Lactobacillus gasseri CECT5714 and Lactobacillus coryniformis CECT5711, is sufficiently characterised. The claimed effect is \u201cnatural defence/immune system\u201d. The target population is assumed to be the general population. From the clarification provided by Member States, the Panel assumes that the claimed effect refers to increasing/strengthening the immune system and natural defences by stimulating the production of antibodies and cytokines, increasing natural killer cell numbers/activity and increasing the phagocytic activity of granulocytes and monocytes. The Panel considers that the evidence provided does not establish that changing parameters of the immune system, such as the production of cytokines, increasing natural killer cell numbers/activity and increasing the phagocytic activity of granulocytes and monocytes, is per se a beneficial physiological effect. On the basis of the data presented, the Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of Lactobacillus gasseri CECT5714 and Lactobacillus coryniformis CECT5711 and a beneficial physiological effect related to \u201cnatural defence/immune system\u201d