FDA finalizes ‘healthy’ food definition

“The Food and Drug Administration has released a long-awaited final rule updating its definition of “healthy” foods, emphasizing fresh produce, whole grains and pulses with limits on added sugar and sodium. The goal of the rule, in conjunction with other initiatives like front-of-package nutrition labeling, is to make it easier for consumers to find foods that align with healthy diets, based on the latest dietary guidance.

Under the new guidance, a food labeled as “healthy” must include certain amounts of a food from at least one of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans food groups or subgroups. This includes fruits, vegetables, protein foods, dairy and grains. These foods must also meet limits on saturated fat, sodium and added sugars.

The Sugar Association has accepted previous DGA recommendations limiting added sugars to 10% of total calories, but criticized the “healthy” definition for suggesting limits beyond this. In a statement, the group argued the new definition “arbitrarily excludes many foods containing added sugars that are key providers of essential nutrients, such as fruit yogurt.

The new definition would instead incentivize additives like low-and no-calorie sweeteners in food, the group said.

“At some point, the government needs to acknowledge that we don’t have a good grasp on how pervasive these low- and no-calorie sweeteners have become in our food supply, unbeknown to most Americans,” said Courtney Gaine, CEO and president of Sugar Association, in a statement. “It is past time we bring some transparency to these additives like we have for added sugars.”

Read the full article here: https://www.agri-pulse.com/articles/22091-fda-finalizes-healthy-food-definition