Released in late September to coincide with the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. suggested ruleupdates criteria for ‘healthy’ nutrient content claims on food labels and for the first time limits the amount of added sugar that companies can add to products that make this claim (see box below).
Deadline for comments is February 16, 2023, commentsSo far it has come largely from individuals, with most trade associations and large food companies taking more time to formulate a formal response. However, some industry stakeholders began to weigh in.
Karl Zimmer, president of the United States Peanut Federation, states that many peanut butters (including market leaders Jif and Skippy) “ little added sugar for flavor“ and therefore may not meet the criteria set by the FDA (agency, “Adjust baseline values for added sugars as warranted, based on specific assessments of different food groups and subgroups”).
Zimmer added: “Peanut butter is a good source of protein and healthy fats and contains high levels of arginine, an amino acid that can aid in proper growth and development. Under the current proposed rule, peanut butter falls under the category of ‘Individual Foods: Protein Foods’ and will be excluded from the definition of ‘healthy’ due to the small amount of sugar added to traditional peanut butter products.
“We recommend that the added sugar limit for peanut butter be consistent with the limits set in the current recommended rule for dairy products such as yogurt, which are less than 5% of the RACC.”
‘Inconsistencies’ in the proposed rule
Additionally, when it comes to saturated fats, she said.While we appreciate the FDA’s decision to exclude nuts from the baseline limit for saturated fat, the saturated fat limit for added fats that stabilize a peanut butter product should be consistent with the recommended limit for other protein foods (10% DV). ”
He also emphasized Inconsistencies in the rule regarding ‘mixed’ products, which he claims are confusing: “According to the current rule, foods containing dairy products have an added sugar limit of 7.5%, while other mixed products have a DV limit of 2.5%.
“The saturated fat limit is similarly inconsistent, with dairy products and some protein-containing foods capped at 10% DV, while other products have a 5% DV limit.”
CMI: ‘Dried cherries should not be degraded or put at a disadvantage compared to competitor products’
U.S. cherry growers, which typically require some added sugar for flavor, have also expressed concerns to the FDA about the proposed rule, which the Cherry Marketing Institute (CMI) said.It discourages the consumption of dried sour cherry products with high nutritional value and makes tart fruits disadvantageous in the market compared to other dried fruits.”
As the proposal defines ‘healthy’ dried fruit as containing zero added sugar, dried Montmorency cherries would be unfairly disadvantaged when compared to products with the same or comparable total sugar levels, such as raisins,”even where health credentials may be higher and in some cases contain less total sugar than comparable products that will meet ‘healthy’ fitness requirements”CMI said.
CMI urges FDA to re-look at which dried fruits are eligible to carry the healthy claim
“CMI respectfully requests the FDA to reconsider its standards by which dried fruit is eligible to meet the healthy claim… In the proposal, the FDA states that it ‘does not want’ added sugars to be added to nutrient-dense fruit products. they are usually already naturally sweet ones.’ This reasoning does not apply to Montmorency tart cherries grown in the USA.”
OGO Foods: ‘Sugar has been unfairly defamed’
Meanwhile, snack supplier OGO Foods says its oat-based snacks meet the USDA’s Smart Snacks guidelines and “Fiber in our whole grain content tends to reduce any glycemic index effects. Also, as a snack, some glucose supplement may be requested immediately… We believe sugar is tainted unnecessarily.
IDFA: Rule ‘prohibits a range of nutrient-dense dairy products’‘ from having healthy claims
The International Dairy Foods Association has not yet submitted a formal comment to the FDA, but has promptly raised concerns about several aspects of the proposed rule, notably the 5% DV added sugar limit per RACC (traditionally reference amount) for dairy products (2.5 g added sugar) consuming “Number of nutritious dairy productsyoghurts that claim to be healthy.
“Moderate added sugars in dairy products enhance flavor, thus encouraging Americans to consume these nutrient-dense foods. IDFA calls this part of the rule to the FDA to recognize the benefits of moderate added sugar for increasing consumption of nutrient-dense, healthy foods, including dairy products. encourages reconsideration.
The 10% DV limit per RACC in saturated fat for dairy products is also “ban many nutritious dairy products from making a ‘healthy’ claim“The low limits for sodium also presented challenges for cheesemakers,” the IDFA claimed.The IDFA encourages the FDA to reconsider this part of the rule to recognize that cheese is the second highest source of calcium but contributes less than 4% of sodium to the diet.”
Association of Physicians for Nutrition: Food labeling must take into account human health as well as planetary health
Reiterating comments from those who believe the Dietary Guidelines for Americans should address planetary health as well as human health, the Physicians for Nutrition Association said that environmental sustainability should be included in the criteria for ‘healthy’ claims.
“Numerous high-quality scientific studies and reports show that beef and dairy products are the most damaging to the environment, and these foods must be reduced in our diets to improve planetary health. Single-use plastics, including bottled water, should also be phased out.
“Therefore, our planet will have negative consequences if these products are labeled as ‘healthy’ because they do not support sustainable food production. Finally, undesirable consequences, such as reducing exposures to fluoride and other beneficial minerals in tap water, can also occur when bottled water is labeled as ‘healthy’ based solely on its nutrient content.”
Dr Rachel Cheatham: “There is a lack of definitive guidance when it comes to fortification as well as non-nutritive sweeteners”
Founder of the food and nutrition consultancy FoodScape Group, Dr.
“The proposed rule makes a clear statement about emphasizing dietary patterns rather than individual foods, using a food group-based equivalents approach.” told us. “There are also clear limits based on Daily Values for saturated fat, added sugars, and sodium. All of which are nicely aligned with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
“However, there is a lack of definitive guidance when it comes to the use of supplements and non-nutritive sweeteners. Beyond the guidance on fortified soy drinks and yogurts, the FDA is “concerned that the inclusion of criteria for nutrients to be encouraged” may encourage fortification,” and for a claim “enrichment often deserves to be promoted.” as a method to win”, but lacks details.
“The recommended rule for non-nutritive sweeteners states that they are ‘not a factor’ and refers to the Dietary Guidelines that question their effectiveness. Needs clearer guidance if both fronts are ‘healthy’; The claims are reasonable.
What is ‘healthy’?
The FDA’s recommended rule (debuted in september) is updating the criteria for the ‘healthy’ nutrient content claim on food labels and, for the first time, restricting the amount of added sugar that companies can add to products that make this claim.
He tended to encourage fortified junk foods instead of switching to a healthier eating pattern, requiring minimal amounts of nutrients to promote, critics said. suggested rulereflects”current nutritional science and Dietary Guidelines”By requiring that foods be labeled ‘healthy’, they contain a certain amount of food (“food group equivalent”) from at least one of the recommended food groups (eg ½ cup fruit or ¾ cup milk). ‘
According to the agency, “The FDA is concerned that inclusion of criteria for foods to be promoted may encourage fortification to allow foods low in saturated fat, sodium and added sugar to qualify for the ‘healthy’ claim even though these foods do not contribute a meaningful amount to a food group. (for example, calcium-fortified white bread).
“We concluded that using food groups* to promote as the criterion of ‘healthy’ rather than a limited food group would better identify foods with nutrient content that can help consumers maintain healthy eating practices, consistent with current nutritional science and the federal dietary guideline.”
Limits on sodium, saturated fat, added sugars
It also recommends limits for sodium and saturated fat (which is already included in the current criteria) and a limit (which is new) for added sugars.
For sodiumThe proposal lowers the criteria for individual foods to be labeled as ‘Healthy’ from 480 mg per ‘Reference Amounts Traditionally Consumed’ (RACC) to <230 mg per RACC.
For saturated fatThe FDA recommends a baseline limit of 5% of the daily value (≤ 1 g) per RACC for most foods, but 10% DV for dairy products, game meats, seafood and eggs; and 20% of total fat for oils and oil-based spreads and sauces (this does not make high saturated fat oils such as coconut oil healthy claims). Same time “considering an approach that uses the ratio of saturated fat to total fat.” border for total fatremoved.
For added sugars– with a daily value of 50 g – the FDA recommends a fairly low baseline value, such as less than 5% of the daily value per RACC (i.e. under 2.5 g) and zero grams of added sugar for some products, but says it is “It also recommends adjusting baseline values for added sugars as warranted, based on specific assessments of different food groups and subgroups.”
Exceptions: Water, whole fruits, vegetables
Selected foods that may not meet the above criteria, such as bottled water, eggs, nuts and seeds, whole fruit and vegetables, will also be allowed to make the ‘healthy’ claim.
It also asks for comments on “”.Eligibility of calorie-free beverages, coffee and tea to meet the ‘healthy’ claim.”
healthy symbol
In revising its definition, the FDA also to researchThe effectiveness of a symbol that manufacturers can use on the front of the package to show that their product meets the definition of the ‘healthy’ claim.
The agency said that having a standardized chart showing that a food conforms to its ‘healthy’ claim would further support the FDA’s goal of helping consumers more easily identify packaged food products that help them establish healthy eating patterns.
