A PPENDIX C: H EALTH C LAIMS
11. A PPENDIX C: H EALTH C LAIMS
Requirements for Health Claims Made in Labeling
Approved Requirements Claim Model Claim
Claims for the Food
Requirements Statements
Calcium and For calcium and
Calcium and Osteoporosis: Adequate Osteoporosis
The claim makes clear the importance
calcium throughout life, as part of a and calcium,
osteoporosis
of adequate calcium intake, or when
well-balanced diet, may reduce the risk vitamin D, and
claim - high in
appropriate, adequate calcium and
calcium
vitamin D intake, throughout life, in a
of osteoporosis.
osteoporosis
healthful diet, are essential to reduce
For calcium, Calcium, vitamin D and osteoporosis:
osteoporosis risk. The claim does not
vitamin D and Adequate calcium and vitamin D, as (21 CFR 101.72)
imply that adequate calcium intake, or
osteoporosis part of a well balanced diet, along with
when appropriate, adequate calcium
claim - high in physical activity, may reduce the risk of
and vitamin D intake, is the only
calcium and
osteoporosis.
recognized risk factor for the
vitamin D
development of osteoporosis.
- assimilable
The claim does not attribute any
(Bioavailable)
degree of reduction in risk of
Supplements
osteoporosis to maintaining an
must disintegrate
adequate dietary calcium intake, or
and dissolve, and
when appropriate, an adequate dietary calcium and vitamin D intake,
Phosphorus
throughout life.
content cannot exceed calcium content
Dietary Fat Low fat
Development of cancer depends on and Cancer
Required terms:
many factors. A diet low in total fat (Fish & game
may reduce the risk of some cancers. (21 CFR 101.73)
“Total fat” or “Fat”
meats: “Extra lean”)
“Some types of cancers” or “Some cancers”
Does not specify types of fats or fatty acids that may be related to risk of cancer.
A F O O D L A B E L I N G G U I D E 95
Approved Requirements Claim Model Claim
Claims for the Food
Requirements Statements
Sodium and Low sodium
Diets low in sodium may reduce the Hypertension
Required terms:
risk of high blood pressure, a disease
associated with many factors. (21 CFR 101.74)
“Sodium”, “High blood pressure”
Includes physician statement (Individuals with high blood pressure should consult their physicians) if claim defines high or normal blood pressure
While many factors affect heart Fat and
Dietary Saturated Low saturated fat,
Required terms:
disease, diets low in saturated fat and Cholesterol
cholesterol may reduce the risk of and risk of
Low cholesterol
Saturated fat and cholesterol
and
this disease.
Coronary Heart
“Coronary heart disease”
Disease Low fat
or “heart disease”
(21 CFR 101.75)
Includes physician statement (individuals with elevated blood total—or LDL—cholesterol should consult their physicians) if claim defines high or normal blood total —and LDL—cholesterol.
Fiber-Containing
Low fat diets rich in fiber-containing Grain Products,
A grain product,
Required terms:
fruit, or vegetable grain products, fruits, and vegetables Fruits, and
may reduce the risk of some types of Vegetables and
that contains
“Fiber”, “Dietary fiber”, or “Total
cancer, a disease associated with Cancer
dietary fiber;
dietary fiber”
many factors. Low fat, and
“Some types of cancer” or “Some
(21 CFR 101.76)
cancers”
Good source of dietary fiber
Does not specify types of dietary fiber
(without
that may be related to risk of cancer.
fortification)
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Approved Requirements Claim Model Claim
Claims for the Food
Requirements Statements
Fruits, Vegetables
Diets low in saturated fat and and Grain
A fruit, vegetable,
Required terms:
or grain product cholesterol and rich in fruits, Products that
vegetables, and grain products that contain Fiber,
that contains
“Fiber”, “Dietary fiber”, “Some types
contain some types of dietary fiber, particularly
fiber;
of dietary fiber”, “Some dietary fibers”,
particularly soluble fiber, may reduce Soluble Fiber,
or “Some fibers”
Low saturated fat, the risk of heart disease, a disease and Risk of
associated with many factors. Coronary Heart Disease
“Saturated fat” and “Cholesterol”
Low cholesterol,
“Heart disease” or “Coronary heart disease”
(21 CFR 101.77) Low fat, At least 0.6 grams
of soluble fiber per RACC (without fortification), and,
Soluble fiber content provided on label
Low fat diets rich in fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and
A fruit or
Required terms:
vegetables (foods that are low in fat and Cancer
vegetable,
“Fiber”, “Dietary fiber”, or “Total
and may contain dietary fiber, Low fat, and
dietary fiber”;
Vitamin A, or Vitamin C) may reduce (21 CFR 101.78)
the risk of some types of cancer, a Good source
“Total fat” or “Fat”,
disease associated with many factors. (without
Broccoli is high in vitamin A and C, fortification) of
“Some types of cancer” or “Some
and it is a good source of dietary fiber. at least one of the following:
cancers”
Characterizes fruits and vegetables as
• Vitamin A,
“Foods that are low in fat and may
• Vitamin C, or
contain Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and
• Dietary fiber
dietary fiber.” Characterizes specific food as a “Good
source” of one or more of the following: Dietary fiber, Vitamin A, or Vitamin C.
Does not specify types of fats or fatty acids or types of dietary fiber that may
be related to risk of cancer.
A F O O D L A B E L I N G G U I D E 97
Approved Requirements Claim Model Claim
Claims for the Food
Requirements Statements
Folate and Neural “Good source”
Healthful diets with adequate folate Tube Defects
Required terms:
of folate (at least may reduce a woman's risk of having
Nutrient: a child with a brain or spinal cord (21 CFR 101.79)
40 mcg folate
per serving)
“Folate”, “folic acid”, “folacin”, “folate,
defect.
a B vitamin”, “folic acid, a B vitamin,”
Dietary
“folacin, a B vitamin.”
supplements, or foods in
Condition:
conventional food “neural tube defects”, “birth defects, form that are
spinal bifida, or anencephaly”,
naturally good
“birth defects of the brain or spinal cord,
sources of folate
anencephaly or spinal bifida”, “spinal
(i.e., only non-
bifida and anencephaly, birth defects of
fortified food in
the brain or spinal cord”;
conventional food “brain or spinal cord birth defects.” form)
Must also include information on the
The claim shall
multifactorial nature of neural tube
not be made on
defects, and the safe upper limit of
products that
daily intake.
contain more than 100% of the RDI for vitamin
A as retinol or preformed vitamin A or vitamin D
Dietary supplements shall meet USP standards for disintegration and dissolution or otherwise bioavailable
Amount of folate required on Nutrition Label
98 G U I D A N C E F O R I N D U S T R Y
Approved Requirements Claim Model Claim
Claims for the Food
Requirements Statements
Dietary Non- Sugar free, and
Full claim: Frequent between-meal cariogenic
Required terms:
consumption of foods high in sugars Carbohydrate
and starches promotes tooth decay. Sweeteners and
When a fermen-
“does not promote,” “may reduce the
table carbohydrate risk of,” “useful [or is useful] in not The sugar alcohols in [name of food] Dental Caries
do not promote tooth decay. food must not
is present, the
promoting” or “expressly [or is
expressly] for not promoting” dental
(21 CFR 101.80) lower plaque pH
caries;
Shortened claim (on small packages
below 5.7. only): Does not promote tooth decay.
“dental caries” or “tooth decay.”
Eligible substances
“sugar alcohol” or “sugar alcohols”
1) The following
or the name or names of the sugar
sugar alcohols:
alcohols
xylitol, sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, Note: D-tagatose may be identified isomalt, lactitol,
as “tagatose”
hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, When the substance that is the subject hydrogenated
of the claim is a noncariogenic sugar
glucose syrups,
(i.e., D-tagatose) the claim shall identify
erythritol, or a
the substance as a sugar that, unlike
combination of
other sugars, does not promote the
these.
development of dental caries.
2) The following
Includes statement that frequent
sugars:
between meal consumption of foods
D-tagatose and
high in sugars and starches can
isomaltulose
promote tooth decay.
3) The following
Packages with less than 15 square
non-nutritive
inches of surface area available for
sweetener:
labeling may use a shortened claim
sucralose
A F O O D L A B E L I N G G U I D E 99
Approved Requirements Claim Model Claim Claims for the Food
Requirements Statements
Soluble Fiber Low saturated fat
Soluble fiber from Certain
Required terms:
from foods such Foods and Risk
as [name of of Coronary
Low cholesterol
“Heart disease” or “coronary heart
soluble fiber Heart Disease
disease.”
Low fat, and source, and, if
desired, name of (21 CFR 101.81) The food product must include one
“Saturated fat” and “cholesterol.”
food product], or more of the following whole oat or
as part of a diet barley foods: 1) oat bran, 2) rolled oats,
In specifying the substance the claim
uses the term “soluble fiber” qualified low in saturated
fat and barley or dry milled barley, and the
3) whole oat f lour, 4) whole grain
by the name of the eligible source of
cholesterol, may whole oat or barley foods must contain
by the name of the eligible source of
the soluble fiber, which is either whole reduce the risk at least 0.75 g of soluble fiber per
heart disease. RACC of the food product; or
oat or barley or psyllium seed husk.
A serving of
[name of food Oatrim that contains at least 0.75 g of
Claim specifies the daily dietary
product] beta--glucan soluble per RACC of the
intake of the soluble fiber source
supplies _ grams food product; or
necessary to reduce the risk of CHD
of the [necessary Claim specifies the amount of soluble
daily dietary Psyllium husk that contains at least
fiber in one serving of the product.
intake for the
benefit] soluble product.
1.7 g of soluble fiber per RACC of food
Additional Required Label Statement
fiber from [name of
Eligible Sources of Soluble Fiber
Foods bearing a psyllium seed husk
soluble fiber
source] necessary Beta-glucan soluble fiber from the
health claim must also bear a label
per day to have following whole oat and barley sources:
statement concerning the need to
consume them with adequate amounts this effect.
1) Oat bran
of f luids; e.g., “NOTICE: This food
protein.
2) Rolled Oats
should be eaten with at least a full
3) Whole Oat Flour
glass of liquid. Eating this product
4) Oatrim
without enough liquid may cause
5) Whole Grain Barley and Dry
choking. Do not eat this product if
Milled Barley
your have difficulty in swallowing.
6) Barley Betafiber
7) Soluble fiber from psyllium husk
(21 CFR 101.17(f))
with purity of no less than 95% The amount of soluble fiber per
RACC must be declared in nutrition label.
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Approved Requirements Claim Model Claim
Claims for the Food
Requirements Statements
Soy Protein and At least 6.25 g
(1) 25 grams of soy protein a day, as Risk of Coronary
Required terms:
soy protein per part of a low in saturated fat and Heart Disease
RACC
“Heart disease” or “coronary heart
cholesterol, may reduce the risk of
heart disease. A serving of [name of (21 CFR 101.82)
disease”
Low saturated food] supplies __ grams of soy protein. fat,
“Soy protein”
(2) Diets low in saturated fat and Low cholesterol,
cholesterol that include 25 grams of and
“Saturated fat” and “cholesterol”
soy protein a day may reduce the risk
of heart disease. One serving of [name Low fat (except
Claim specifies daily dietary intake
of food] provides __ grams of soy that foods made
levels of soy protein associated with
reduced risk
protein.
from whole soybeans that
Claim specifies amount of soy protein
contain no fat
in a serving of food
in addition to that inherent in the whole soybean are exempt from the “low fat” requirement)
A F O O D L A B E L I N G G U I D E 101
Approved Requirements Claim Model Claim
Claims for the Food
Requirements Statements
*Plant Sterol/ At least 0.65 g
(1) Foods containing at least 0.65 stanol esters and
Required terms:
plant sterol esters gram per of vegetable oil sterol esters, Risk of Coronary
eaten twice a day with meals for a Heart Disease
per RACC of
“May” or “might” reduce the risk of
spreads and salad
daily total intake of least 1.3 grams, dressings, or
CHD
as part of a diet low in saturated fat (21
CFR 101.83) and cholesterol, may reduce the risk
“Heart disease” or “coronary heart
At least 1.7 g
of heart disease. A serving of [name plant stanol esters
disease”
of food] supplies __ grams of per RACC of
vegetable oil sterol esters. spreads, salad
“Plant sterol esters” or “plant stanol
esters”; except “vegetable oil” may
dressings, snack
(2) Diets low in saturated fat and bars, and dietary
replace the term “plant” if vegetable
cholesterol that include two servings supplements.
oil is the sole source of the sterol/
stanol ester
of foods that provide a daily total of at least 3.4 grams of plant stanol esters
Low saturated fat,
Claim specifies plant stero/stanol
in two meals may reduce the risk of
heart disease. A serving of [name of Low cholesterol,
esters are part of a diet low in saturated
food] supplies __ grams of plant and
fat and cholesterol.
stanol esters
Claim does not attribute any degree
Spreads and salad
of CHD risk reduction.
dressings that exceed 13 g fat
Claim specifies the daily dietary intake
per 50 g must
of plant sterol or stanol esters
bear the statement
necessary to reduce CHD risk, and
“see nutrition
the amount provided per serving.
information for
Claim specifies that plant sterol or
fat content”
stanol esters should be consumed with two different meals each a day.
Salad dressings are exempted from the minimum 10% DV nutrient requirement
* FDA regulates the plant sterol/stanol esters and risk of coronary heart disease health claim according to the following requirements: 1) An interim final rule for the health claim that published on September 8, 2000 (65 FR 54686), 2) An enforcement discretion letter about expanded use of the interim final rule for the health claim,
http://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/LabelClaims/HealthClaimsMeetingSignificantScientificAgreementSSA/ucm074779.htm?utm_campaign =Google2&utm_source=fdaSearch&utm_medium=website&utm_term=phytosterols&utm_content=8 and
3) A proposed rule for the health claim that published on December 8, 2010 (75 FR 76526).
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FDAMA (FDA Modernization Act) Health Claims (Health Claims Authorized Based on an Authoritative Statement by Federal Scientific Bodies)
Approved Food Claim Model Claim
Claims Requirements Requirement Statements
Whole Grain Contains 51 percent or more whole
NA Foods and Risk
Required wording of the claim:
grain ingredients by weight per RACC,
“Diets rich in whole grain foods and
of Heart Disease and
other plant foods and low in total fat,
and Certain
Cancers Dietary fiber content at least:
saturated fat, and cholesterol may
reduce the risk of heart disease and
• (Docket 3.0 g per RACC of 55 g No.
some cancers.”
• 1999P-2209) 2.8 g per RACC of 50 g •
2.5 g per RACC of 45 g
1.7 g per RACC of 35 g
Whole Grain Contains 51 percent or more whole
NA Foods with
Required wording of the claim:
grain ingredients by weight per RACC,
“Diets rich in whole grain foods and
Moderate Fat and
other plant foods, and low in total fat,
Content and Dietary fiber content at least:
saturated fat, and cholesterol may help Risk of Heart
reduce the risk of heart disease.”
Disease •
3.0 g per RACC of 55 g
• (Docket 2.8 g per RACC of 50 g No.
• 03Q-0547) 2.5 g per RACC of 45 g •
1.7 g per RACC of 35 g
Potassium and Good source of potassium
NA the Risk of High
Required wording of the claim:
Low sodium
“Diets containing foods that are a
Blood Pressure good source of potassium and that are and Stroke
Low total fat
low in sodium may reduce the risk of
(Docket No. Low saturated fat
high blood pressure and stroke.”
2000Q-1582) Low cholesterol
Fluoridated Bottled water meeting the standards of
NA Water and
Required wording of the claim:
identity and quality set forth in
“Drinking f luoridated water may
Reduced Risk of
21 CFR 165.110
reduce the risk of [dental caries or
Dental Carries Meet all general requirements for
tooth decay]”.
(Docket No. health claims in (21 CFR 101.14) with 2006Q-0418) the exception of the minium nutrient
contribution (21 CFR 101.14(e)(6)), Total Fluoride: >0.6 to 1.0 mg/L Excluding bottled water products
specifically marketed for use by infants
A F O O D L A B E L I N G G U I D E 103
Approved Food Claim Model Claim
Claims Requirements Requirement Statements
Saturated Fat, Low saturated fat
NA Cholesterol, and
Required wording of the claim:
Trans Fat, and Low cholesterol cholesterol, and as low as possible in
“Diets low in saturated fat and
Reduced Risk of Bear quantitative trans fat labeling trans fat, may reduce the risk of heart Heart Disease
Contains less than 0.5 g trans fat per
disease.”
(Docket No. RACC 2006Q-0458)
Contains less than 6.5 g total fat Substitution of
NA Saturated Fat in
Low fat
Required wording of the claim:
“Replacing saturated fat with similar the Diet with
Low cholesterol amounts of unsaturated fats may
Unsaturated Meets all general requirements for reduce the risk of heart disease. To Fatty Acids and
health claims in 21 Reduced Risk of
achieve this benefit, total daily calories should not increase.”
CFR 101.14
Heart Disease (Docket No.
2007Q-0192)
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