FDA to Exempt Fruits and Vegetables From Nutrition Labelling Requirements

The Food and Drug Administration is issuing an interim final rule to exempt raw fruits and vegetables for minimum nutrient content requirements and the threshold for making "low fat" claims, it said in a notice (here). The rule follows a petition to the FDA that it issue an interim final rule "stating that the evidence is compelling and the potential to encourage fruit and vegetable consumption is important for public health and that issuing an interim final rule would allow affected fruit and vegetable products to become eligible to bear these health claims as expeditiously as possible," FDA said. "We agree with the petitioner that some current requirements for the dietary saturated fat and cholesterol and risk of [coronary heart disease] health claim prevent a number of fruits and vegetables from being eligible to bear the claim." The agency is also seeking public comments on the issue, it said.