The Food and Drug Administration has updated the criteria food and drink items must meet to merit a “healthy” label on packaging.
Manufacturers can voluntarily use the “healthy” claim on a package if the product meets the updated criteria. To qualify, they must have limited amounts of saturated fat, sodium and added sugar and contain foods from the major dietary groups: fruits, vegetables, protein and dairy.
The new guidelines released on Dec. 18 update criteria established in 1994. They are scheduled to take effect at the end of February.
The updated criteria for the “healthy” claim are aligned with current nutrition science, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and the updated Nutrition Facts label, which requires the declaration of added sugars. The updated criteria identify foods that help consumers build a diet consistent with current recommendations.
The new label rules add salmon, eggs, olive oil, nuts and whole grains to the list of “healthy” foods.
Removed are foods with high amounts of added sugars.
The “healthy” claim can empower consumers by providing a quick signal on food package labels to help consumers identify foundational foods for building healthy dietary patterns. The claim could be especially helpful for those who may be less familiar with nutritional information.
“It’s critical for the future of our country that food be a vehicle for wellness. Improving access to nutrition information is an important public health effort the FDA can undertake to help people build healthy eating patterns,” said FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, M.D. “It is vital that we focus on the key drivers to combat chronic disease, like healthy eating. Now, people will be able to look for the ‘healthy’ claim to help them find foundational, nutritious foods for themselves and their families.”
“Food labeling can be a powerful tool for change. Food labeling, like ‘healthy,’ may help foster a healthier food supply if manufacturers choose to reformulate their products to meet the new definition,” said FDA Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods Jim Jones. “There’s an opportunity here for industry and others to join us in making ‘healthy’ a ubiquitous, quick signal to help people more easily build nutritious diets.”
As an example, to include the “healthy” claim on the package, a cereal needs to contain a certain amount of whole grains and adhere to limits for saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. Nuts and seeds, higher fat fish, such as salmon, certain oils, and water are examples of foods that did not qualify for the “healthy” claim before but are foundational to a healthy eating pattern and recommended by the Dietary Guidelines. These foods now qualify to bear the “healthy” claim. Many foods that fit into a range of budgets such as some peanutbutters and canned fruits and vegetables also qualify.
Manufacturers who choose to use the “healthy” claim have three years to conform but can use the new criteria sooner.
On a separate but related track, the FDA is also exploring the development of a symbol that manufacturers could use on food labeling to show that a product meets the criteria for the “healthy” claim. Having a standardized graphic to show that a food meets the criteria for the “healthy” claim would further support the FDA’s goal of helping consumers to identify food products that can be the foundation of healthy eating patterns.
Source: FDA.gov
