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Authorised health claim
Prunes and normal bowel function.
This is the only health claim about prunes the European Union has authorised. It has a prescribed wording and a prescribed condition of use, and both must be respected.
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Direct answer
Do prunes help digestion?
In 2012 the European Food Safety Authority confirmed a cause and effect relationship between eating prunes and the maintenance of normal bowel function. The authorised claim states that prunes contribute to normal bowel function, and the condition for using it is an intake of approximately 100 grams per day, which is 8 to 12 fruits.
Decision data
How the claim may be used
An authorised claim is not a general licence to present the product as a medicine. The wording is prescribed, the condition of use must accompany the claim, and statements about curing constipation or any disease remain prohibited.
| Item | Detail | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Claim status | Authorised | EFSA opinion, 2012 |
| Legal basis | Regulation (EC) 1924/2006 | Article 13(1) |
| Wording | Contribute to normal bowel function | Must not become a claim of treatment |
| Condition of use | About 100 g per day | Must be stated alongside the claim |
| Number of fruits | 8–12 pieces | Depends on calibre |
| Active components | Fibre and sorbitol | Sorbitol is about 15 % of sugar content |
Direct answer
Why fibre and sorbitol specifically?
Prunes contain 7.1 grams of fibre per 100 grams and roughly 15 grams of sorbitol. Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol that is absorbed slowly and acts osmotically, drawing water into the bowel. That mechanism combined with fibre was the basis on which EFSA accepted the claim, after two human intervention studies showed an effect.
Reference values
What the claim does not cover
The authorisation applies solely to maintaining normal bowel function in a healthy population. Anything beyond that requires a separate authorisation, which does not exist for prunes.
| Statement | Status |
|---|---|
| Contribute to normal bowel function | Authorised, conditional on 100 g per day |
| Cure constipation | Prohibited — presenting food as medicine |
| Replace treatment | Prohibited |
| Act on bowel disease | Not authorised |
| Guidance for children and pregnancy | Not covered by this claim |
Source: scientific opinion of the European Food Safety Authority on dried plums of prune cultivars and maintenance of normal bowel function, EFSA Journal, 2012. Anyone with a medical condition should consult a doctor. EFSA Journal 2012
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