Baking&Snack - November 2011 - 28

HEALTH CLAIMS

a health claim relationship and verifies the scientific evidence once, then any company can use that health claim on a product that meets the claim’s requirements. No notifications, petitions or reviews are necessary. A list of these claims can be found on FDA’s website, www.fda.gov. If a company wishes to use a claim that hasn’t been reviewed, the company must petition FDA and submit all the sciencebased literature supporting the claim

Facts Panel May Get a Face Lift
The Nutrition Facts Panel that serves to inform consumers of the food they’re about to eat may be getting a makeover, but it could be a long time coming. A health claim expert at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) who spoke to Baking & Snack under the condition of anonymity said the agency is working on a proposal to change the Nutrition Facts Panel based on recommendations from the Institute of Medicine’s Food and Nutrition Board’s evaluation of recommended intake levels for all nutrients. The current recommended dietary allowances date from 1968, and many experts agree that it’s time for change. “Changing the reference amounts customarily consumed (RACCs) to better reflect what people are actually eating, which are larger serving sizes than what you see on the ▼ FDA is currently reviewing a packages, might give proposal to modify the Nutrition consumers a clearer Facts Panel. picture of the calories and other nutrients they are actually consuming,” said Lee Sanders, senior vicepresident, government relations and public affairs, American Bakers Association. According to the FDA health claim expert, dietary reference intake is on the table for consideration among other things. However, the proposal is still being formed, and there is no word on when it will be available for public comment.

to undergo the evaluation-based review system, which can take the agency months. FDAMA claims are statements that resemble health claims and are supported by an authoritative report such as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. A company must notify FDA of its intention to use an FDAMA claim and submit the authoritative report that supports it, said an FDA health claim expert who spoke with Baking & Snack under the condition of anonymity. FDA then reviews the report and issues a response that dictates the exact wording that must be used when making the claim. LOST IN TRANSLATION. Although some health claims have become more available for food companies, most gravitate toward nutrient content claims over health claims. According to Elaine Meloan, director, food labeling, AIB International, Manhattan, KS, a nutrient content claim such as “fat free” is easier for consumers to grasp than the complex wording required for health claim statements. For instance, a claim about walnuts cannot simply say on the packaging, “Walnuts may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.” According to FDA, the claim’s wording must be exact. Because the evidence supporting qualitative health claims is limited, the statement must be qualified with a disclaimer to prevent misleading consumers. In the case of walnuts, the qualified health claim on a package must read, “Supportive but not conclusive research shows that eating 1.5 oz per day of walnuts, as part of a low-saturated-fat and lowcholesterol diet and not resulting in increased caloric intake, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. See nutrition information for fat [and calorie] content.” While this wording may not misinform consumers, it won’t get them ex-

cited about the health implications of a product either. Despite tougher requirements governing authorized health claims, the wording of the claim on the package doesn’t have to be exact. According to Ms. Meloan, authorized claims have recommended wording and certain elements that must be included in the label, but the final wording of the claim is more flexible. “There are many popular health claims, but you don’t see them on a lot of products, and I think that’s because of the cumbersome language required,” said Lee Sanders, senior vice-president, government relations and public affairs, American Bakers Association. “For example, folic acid is a great message and a great opportunity, but the language that you have to put on your label is hard to fit on.” Simplifying the language of health claims, however, is a task that falls on FDA. Bakers, snack producers and their organizations can only suggest to FDA that this change be made. “I think if we were able to streamline the language and shorten it, make it more concise and consumer-friendly, then it would encourage bakers to have more of those types of claims on their products,” Ms. Sanders said. She added that companies producing foods with enriched or whole-wheat flour should ▼ Authorized health claim language paired with marketing design can communicate a better-foryou message.

BAKING & SNACK / November 2011

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Baking&Snack - November 2011

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