HEALTH

FDA updates food labels and the definition of ‘healthy’ foods

Dec 19, 2024, 2:28 PM

FILE: Salmon fillets are seen as crowds gather for last minute shopping before Christmas at the Syd...

FILE: Salmon fillets are seen at the Sydney Fish Market in Sydney, Australia. (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

(Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

The food labels on packaged foods calling themselves “healthy” in the U.S. may look different after changes were finalized Thursday by the Food and Drug Administration.

It’s an update of the agency’s definition originally devised 30 years ago. The move is aimed at helping Americans navigate food labels at the grocery store. The agency wants to help Americans make choices that are aligned with federal dietary guidelines. The hope is reducing rates of diet-related chronic disease, the FDA said.

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Under the rule, products that claim to be “healthy” must contain a certain amount of food from one or more food groups. Those groups include fruit, vegetables, grains, dairy and protein. And for the first time, the rule sets certain limits for added sugars. Foods must also limit sodium and saturated fat at levels that depend on the type of product, the FDA said.

What the changes to food labels mean

The change banishes foods such as sugary cereals, highly sweetened yogurts, white bread and some granola bars from bearing a “healthy” label, while allowing foods such as avocados, olive oil, salmon, eggs and some trail mix to use it. Even water can now be labeled as healthy, the agency said.

“It’s critical for the future of the country that food be a vehicle for wellness,” FDA Commissioner Robert Califf said in a statement.

The new rule will take effect within two months and food manufacturers will have until February 2028 to comply. A label that designates certain foods as healthy is still being developed, FDA officials said. Under the previous rule, about 15% of products were eligible for the healthy designation, but only 5% made the claim.

Please read the complete AP story.

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FDA updates food labels and the definition of ‘healthy’ foods