CNN
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The United States Food and Drug Administration has finalized a new standards that foods must meet before they can be labeled “healthy”.
Requirements now include limits on saturated fat, sodium and added sugars. “Healthy” foods must also contain a certain amount of foods from at least one of the key food groups outlined in the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans, such as fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products.
Some foods that could previously carry the health label – such as white bread, heavily sweetened cereals and yogurt – will no longer be eligible. But nuts and seeds, salmon and olive oil, as well as some peanut butters and canned fruits and vegetables are among those that will be newly eligible.
The final rule, announced Thursday, is the first major change to the standards since they were introduced 30 years ago. The agency says the updates better align with the latest nutrition science and can help consumers make better food choices.
“It is essential for the future of our country that food be a vector of well-being. Improving access to nutrition information is an important public health effort that FDA can undertake to help people adopt healthy eating habits,” FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf said in a statement. “It is essential that we focus on the key factors to combat chronic disease, such as a healthy diet. Now people will be able to search for the “healthy” claim to help them find staple, nutritious foods for themselves and their families. »
According to the FDA, most Americans eat diets that exceed dietary recommendations for saturated fat, added sugars and sodium, and most individual diets are low in fruits and vegetables.
“The FDA recognizes that diet-related illnesses, including heart disease, cancer and diabetes, are the leading cause of disability and illness in the United States and contribute to America’s status as lowest life expectancy among large, high-income countries. Jim Jones, FDA deputy commissioner for human foods, said Thursday. “Food labeling can be a powerful tool for change. »
The use of “healthy” labeling is voluntary for food manufacturers. Foods that meet the new requirements can begin using the label early next year, while those that do not currently meet the new rule’s standards have three years to comply.
“The updated claim could also result in a healthier food supply if manufacturers choose to reformulate their products to meet the new definition,” Jones said. “We hope the industry and others will join us in our efforts to make the use of the term ‘healthy’ on food packaging a ubiquitous and timely signal to help people adopt a nutritious diet.”
The FDA is also working on a symbol that could be placed on packages to help consumers more easily identify foods considered healthy and is developing a nutrition labeling plan that would appear on the front of food packages to complement more detailed labels on food packaging. the back.
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These nutritional initiatives were part of a national strategy highlighted by the Biden administration during the Conference on hunger, nutrition and health in 2022.
“The updated definition should give consumers more confidence when they see the ‘healthy’ claim when shopping, and we hope it will motivate food manufacturers to develop new, healthier products that “qualify to use the ‘healthy’ claim,” Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association, said in a statement.
However, the language may only appear on a small number of packages, Brown said.
“That’s why the FDA’s work on front-of-package nutrition labeling is so important. A front-of-package labeling system, based on the best scientific and consumer research available, would give consumers valuable information about the nutritional value of foods and drinks and help them quickly and easily identify options healthier,” Brown said. “We urge the administration to move forward with a proposed rule for a front-of-package nutrition labeling system.”