The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has confirmed its scientific opinion that oat beta-glucans reduce postprandial blood glucose peaks, dismissing comments from industry stakeholders that sought to alter the conclusion. In a technical report published on 12 June 2026, EFSA stated that the comments received from the applicant ScanOats, Oatly, and PepsiCo do not require any change in the findings of its NDA Panel.
EFSA's original opinion, adopted on 28 January 2026, established a cause-and-effect relationship between consumption of oat beta-glucans and reduction of postprandial glucose peak. The Panel specified that, to bear the health claim, foods or meals must contain at least 30 g of available carbohydrates per portion and at least 3 g of beta-glucans from oats for each 30 g of available carbohydrates. The claim is made under Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, which allows for health claims based on newly developed scientific evidence.
The comments were submitted to EFSA via the European Commission Services. EFSA reviewed them with the contribution of the chair of the NDA Working Group on Claims and the chair of the NDA Panel. The agency concluded that the comments did not provide grounds to revise the opinion.
Impact on stakeholders
The decision has direct implications for food manufacturers and consumers. For producers of oat-based products, the upheld claim allows them to market foods meeting the specified carbohydrate and beta-glucan thresholds with a health benefit statement, potentially boosting sales in the functional foods sector. However, the strict conditions (30 g available carbohydrates and 3 g beta-glucans per 30 g carbs) may limit the range of products eligible, requiring reformulation or new product development. For consumers, the claim provides clearer guidance on choosing foods that can help manage blood glucose spikes, particularly relevant for individuals with diabetes or prediabetes. For competitors in the glucose-management market, such as producers of other dietary fibres or supplements, the confirmation may increase competitive pressure. EFSA's role as the scientific arbiter is reinforced, maintaining its gatekeeping function over health claims in the EU.
Institutional follow-up
The European Commission, as the requestor, will now consider whether to authorise the health claim for use on food labels across the EU, based on EFSA's scientific assessment. No further comments are expected from EFSA on this matter.
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