The following is a message from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
On December 30, 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced an extension to the comment period for its public process to redefine the “healthy” nutrient content claim for food labeling. Â See the link to the notice in the Federal Register for more details. Â Redefining “healthy” is part of an overall plan by the FDA to provide consumers with information and tools to enable them to easily and quickly make food choices consistent with public health recommendations and to encourage the development of healthier foods by the industry. Electronic or written comments on the “healthy” nutrient content claim must be submitted by April 26, 2017.
While the FDA is considering how to redefine the term “healthy” as a nutrient content claim, food manufacturers can continue to use the term “healthy” on foods that meet the current regulatory definition. The FDA is also issuing a guidance document stating that it does not intend to enforce the regulatory requirements for products that use the term if certain criteria described in the guidance document are met.
Please note that the submission deadline for comments is April 26, 2017. Should you wish to submit comments to the FDA, we would appreciate if you could share them with the Market Access Secretariat so that we are aware of Canadian stakeholder views.
For Additional Information (information contained in the links below is only available in English):
Federal Register Notice for the Guidance for Industry
Federal Register Notice for the Request for Information
Guidance for Industry: Use of the Term “Healthy” in the Labeling of Human Food Products
Blog: Making Sure ‘Healthy’ Means What It Says on Food Packages
“Healthy” on Food Labeling
Should you have any questions on the above information, please contact MAS-SAM@AGR.GC.CA.