03.03.10
FDA has notified 17 food manufacturers that the labeling for 22 of their food products violates the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
The action follows an October 2009 statement by Commissioner of Food and Drugs Margaret Hamburg, MD, encouraging companies to review their labeling to ensure that they were in compliance with FDA regulations, and were truthful and not misleading.
In an open letter to Industry dated March 3, 2010, Dr. Hamburg underscored the importance of providing nutrition information that consumers could rely on.
"Today, ready access to reliable information about the calorie and nutrient content of food is even more important, given the prevalence of obesity and diet-related diseases in the United States," Dr. Hamburg said in the letter. She also expressed her hope that the warning letters would clarify FDA’s expectations for food manufacturers as they review their current labeling.
The violations cited in the warning letters include unauthorized health claims, unauthorized nutrient content claims, and the unauthorized use of terms such as “healthy,” and others that have strict, regulatory definitions.
Companies that received warning letters have 15 business days to inform the agency of steps they will take to correct their labeling.
The action follows an October 2009 statement by Commissioner of Food and Drugs Margaret Hamburg, MD, encouraging companies to review their labeling to ensure that they were in compliance with FDA regulations, and were truthful and not misleading.
In an open letter to Industry dated March 3, 2010, Dr. Hamburg underscored the importance of providing nutrition information that consumers could rely on.
"Today, ready access to reliable information about the calorie and nutrient content of food is even more important, given the prevalence of obesity and diet-related diseases in the United States," Dr. Hamburg said in the letter. She also expressed her hope that the warning letters would clarify FDA’s expectations for food manufacturers as they review their current labeling.
The violations cited in the warning letters include unauthorized health claims, unauthorized nutrient content claims, and the unauthorized use of terms such as “healthy,” and others that have strict, regulatory definitions.
Companies that received warning letters have 15 business days to inform the agency of steps they will take to correct their labeling.
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) issued the following statement regarding the commissioner’s open letter: “The food and beverage industry is committed to providing consumers with the products and information they need to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle. GMA agrees with and supports federal laws requiring food labels to be truthful and non-misleading. As Commissioner Hamburg noted, the examples cited are not indicative of the food industry as a whole. Separately, GMA and its member companies support, and are working with, the FDA to enhance our ability to convey nutrition information clearly and consistently to consumers.”
Dr. Hamburg has made nutrition labeling a priority at FDA. The warning letters are the agency’s most recent action to help improve consumers’ ability to make nutritious choices. FDA will soon propose guidance regarding calorie and nutrient labeling on the front of food packages and plans to work collaboratively with the food industry to design and implement innovative approaches to front-of-package labeling that can help consumers choose healthy diets.
Dr. Hamburg’s letter to the industry can be found here.