FDA Considers Update to 'Natural' Claims on Food Labels

The Food and Drug Administration seeks comments on a potential update to its requirements for using the term “healthy” in the labeling of human food, it said (here). The request for input comes partly in response to petitions that FDA amend its regulation defining the nutrient content claim “healthy” with respect to total fat intake and amend the regulation to emphasize “whole foods and dietary patterns rather than specific nutrients,” FDA said. Comments are due Jan. 27, 2017. As it considers changes to requirements for “healthy” claims, FDA will “exercise enforcement discretion” for foods that use the claims if they are (1) not low in total fat, but are made up of mostly unsaturated fats instead of saturated fats, or (2) contain at least 10 percent of the FDA’s recommended daily value for potassium or vitamin D, it said in a guidance released Sept. 27 (here).