STRATEGIC PERSPECTIVES: Redefining ‘healthy’ in food labeling: Key themes emerge By The FDA is presently engaged in a public process to redefine the term in the “healthy” labeling of human food products. This Strategic Prospective discusses the FDA’s current position regarding the use of the term its “healthy,” its interim guidance announcing intention to exercise enforcement discretion with respect to some of the criteria for bearing the implied nutrient content claim its motivation for considering a definitional “healthy,” change to and some perspectives and recommendations provided by members “healthy,” of the food industry at a public meeting on the matter. This examination will help determine: (1) the extent to which consumers understand the term the new definition of should focus on quantitative “healthy;” (2) whether “healthy” levels of nutrients (the current definition approach), on food groups and components, or a hybrid of these two approaches; (3) what can be done to make labels less confusing; (4) what factors drive food purchasing decisions; and (5) how consumers can be educated on the meaning of the term “healthy.” Current Definition of FDA’s “Healthy” The FDA regulations in (d) currently provide the regulatory definition for use of the term or “healthy” related terms (such as “health,” “healthful,” “healthfully,” and as an implied “healthfulness,” “healthier,” “healthiest,” “healthily,” “healthiness”) nutrient content claim on the label or in labeling of a food to suggest that a food, because of it nutrient content, may be useful in creating a diet that is consistent with dietary recommendations. The definition establishes the following nutrient conditions for bearing a claim: (1) specific criteria for nutrients in the diet, such as to limit “healthy” total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium; and (2) requirements for nutrients to in the diet, including vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron, protein, and fiber encourage [emphasis added]. The criteria are linked to elements in the Nutrition Facts label and
STRATEGIC PERSPECTIVES: Redefining ‘healthy’ in food labeling: Key themes emerge By The FDA is presently engaged in a public process to redefine the term “healthy” in the labeling of human food products. This Strategic Prospective discusses the FDA’s current position regarding the use of the term “healthy,” its interim guidance announcing its intention to exercise enforcement discretion with respect to some of the criteria for bearing the implied nutrient content claim “healthy,” its motivation for considering a definitional change to “healthy,” and some perspectives and recommendations provided by members of the food industry at a public meeting on the matter. This examination will help determine: (1) the extent to which consumers understand the term “healthy;” (2) whether the new definition of “healthy” should focus on quantitative levels of nutrients (the current definition approach), on food groups and components, or a hybrid of these two approaches; (3) what can be done to make labels less confusing; (4) what factors drive food purchasing decisions; and (5) how consumers can be educated on the meaning of the term “healthy.” FDA’s Current Definition of “Healthy” The FDA regulations in (d) currently provide the regulatory definition for use of the term “healthy” or related terms (such as “health,” “healthful,” “healthfully,” “healthfulness,” “healthier,” “healthiest,” “healthily,” and “healthiness”) as an implied nutrient content claim on the label or in labeling of a food to suggest that a food, because of it nutrient content, may be useful in creating a diet that is consistent with dietary recommendations. The definition establishes the following nutrient conditions for bearing a “healthy” claim: (1) specific criteria for nutrients to limit in the diet, such as total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium; and (2) requirements for nutrients to encourage in the diet, including vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron, protein, and fiber [emphasis added]. The criteria are linked to elements in the Nutrition Facts label and