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Green kiwi becomes first fresh fruit to receive an EU health claim

In a regulatory first, green kiwifruit has become the first fresh fruit to carry an EU-approved health claim.

The European Commission (EC)’s decision, granted on 30 July 2025, authorises a claim related to digestive health – “consumption of green kiwifruit contributes to normal bowel function by increasing stool frequency.”

The claim may only be used for fresh green kiwifruit sold in whole, peeled, and/or cut form, and is based on a minimum consumption of 200 grams of flesh, or approximately two kiwifruits.

Research behind kiwifruit health claim is 15 years in the making

The world's largest marketer of kiwifruit, New Zealand-based Zespri, was instrumental in the health claim approval, having submitted much of the research used in the scientific substantiation and fully funding the application process.

The kiwifruit marketer spent the better part of 15 years conducting and compiling research on the benefits of green kiwifruit, including 18 human intervention studies, six of which were considered by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) as strong evidence.

“This milestone is not only a first for Zespri but for the entire fresh produce industry. The EU Commission’s recognition of green kiwifruit’s role in digestive health reflects one of the ways we are helping people thrive through the goodness of kiwifruit,” Jason te Brake, Zespri’s CEO, said in a press release.

He explained that the approval “delivers tangible value to the industry and reflects the hard work of our green growers to produce nutritious, great-tasting kiwifruit”.

Zespri believes this approval “sets a blueprint for fresh produce that science-led innovation delivers real value for consumers and the industry”.

With it, the company plans to “begin integrating the health claim into its European communications, reaffirming its commitment to helping consumers make informed choices about their health”.

Just 11% of health claims submitted in the EU are approved

An EU-approved health claim is any statement linking a food or ingredient to a specific health benefit. Some examples of approved claims include: “Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal bones”; “walnuts contribute to the improvement of the elasticity of blood vessels”; and “sugar beet fibre contributes to an increase in faecal bulk”.

The European Union (EU) has a reputation for a more stringent approval process for health claims, as compared to many other regions. This includes the requirement for health claims to be scientifically validated and authorised by EFSA before being used.

Because of the scientific substantiation required, EU health claims are rarely approved – in the past five years, just three health claims have been approved.

At the time of writing, according to the EC health claim register, EFSA has evaluated 2,327 health claim applications and approved just 261, or 11%. More than 70% of claims are rejected due to a lack of scientific evidence.

Approved health claims, such as the one just given to green kiwifruit, can appear on labels, advertisements, or other marketing materials.