FDA Proposes Updated Definition of ‘Healthy’ for Foods

Today, the FDA proposed updated criteria for when foods can be labeled with the nutrient content claim “healthy” on their packaging. This proposed rule would align the definition of the “healthy” claim with current nutrition science, the updated Nutrition Facts label and the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Under the proposal, manufacturers can label their products “healthy” if they contain a meaningful amount of food from at least one of the food groups or subgroups (such as fruit, vegetable or dairy) recommended by the dietary guidelines. They must also adhere to specific limits for certain nutrients, such as saturated fat, sodium and added sugars.

The proposed rule can be found here: https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2022-20975/food-labeling-nutrient-content-claims-definition-of-term-healthy