Nutrition Stop - Health Food

FDA Approves New Heart Healthy Claim

On December 9th, 2003, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a health claim linking whole grain foods with moderate fat content to a reduced risk of heart disease. The FDA approval allows food companies to use the following claim: "Diets rich in whole grain foods and other plant foods, and low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may help reduce the risk of heart disease." Under the notification, to achieve eligibility for the new claim, the food is required to: contain 51% or more whole grain ingredients by weight per reference amount customarily consumed (RACC); meet the regulatory definitions for "low saturated fat" and "low cholesterol"; bear quantitative trans fatty acid labeling; and contain less than 6.5 grams total fat and 0.5 grams or less trans fat per RACC.