The Nutrition Label is in fact the primary source of information of our food products, but have you noticed that some of them also contain phrases like “low fat”, “reduces heart disease”, “no added sugar” and more.
These are Nutrient content claims and health claims, usually placed on the front of the food label, the nutrient and health claims provides a quick comparison between similar products. Let me explain to you the differences between the two of them.
¿What are the Health Claims?
Health claims are statements about a food product’s nutritional value and what it could do to your health when eaten as part of your diet, these are statements reviewed by the FDA and supported by scientific evidence that suggest certain foods or diets may lower the risk of a disease or health-related condition.
The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 regulates these health claims, which must undergo review by the FDA through a petition process.
There are two types of health claims:
The “authorized” health claims.
The “qualified” health claims.
The authorized health claims by the FDA must have significant scientific agreement among qualified experts to support the scientific evidence for a substance - disease relationship. The FDA has approved 12 health claims on food labels such as sodium and hypertension; fiber-containing grains, fruits and vegetables and cancer; and more.
Qualified health claims are supported by some scientific evidence and reviewed by the FDA, but do not meet the significant scientific agreement standard. To ensure that they are not misleading to consumers, qualified health claims must be accompanied by a disclaimer to communicate the level of scientific evidence supporting the claim.
These disclaimers can start with the phrase “Scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove”, and then continue with the health claim.
A nutrient content claim must be true and accurate just like health claims, it is a statement about the amount of a nutrient found in a food. Usually placed on the front of the food label, the nutrient claim provides a quick comparison between similar products.
Some examples of nutrient claims are
“low sodium”,
“high in fiber”,
“fewer calories”,
“good source of”
and more.
These are regulated by the FDA, under the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) of 1990, and the nutrient amounts must meet specific guidelines to make these claims.
Roybal Food Consultants will help you develop an FDA compliant nutrition label along with the health and nutrient claims that your food product may apply. You can feel safe and sound that your food label is in line with the FDA regulations and meet all the requirements and standards.
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