Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition - Constituent Update
http://www.fda.gov/Food/
http://www.fda.gov/Food/
FDA Requests Comments on Use of the Term "Natural" on Food Labeling
December 24, 2015 Update
Comment Period on Use of the Term “Natural” on Food Labeling Extended Until May 10, 2016
In direct response to requests from the public, the FDA has extended the comment period for the Use of the Term “Natural” on Food Labeling. The comment period will now end on May 10, 2016. Due to the complexity of this issue, the FDA is committed to providing the public with more time to submit comments. The FDA will thoroughly review all public comments and information submitted before determining its next steps.
For more information:
- Federal Register Notice: Use of the Term “Natural” in the Labeling of Human Food Products; Request for Information and Comments; Extension of the Comment Period.
- "Natural" on Food Labeling
Original Announcement from November 10, 2015
Because of the changing landscape of food ingredients and production, and in direct response to consumers who have requested that the FDA explore the use of the term “natural,” the agency is asking the public to provide information and comments on the use of this term in the labeling of human food products.
The FDA is taking this action in part because it received three Citizen Petitions asking that the agency define the term “natural” for use in food labeling and one Citizen Petition asking that the agency prohibit the term “natural” on food labels. We also note that some Federal courts, as a result of litigation between private parties, have requested administrative determinations from the FDA regarding whether food products containing ingredients produced using genetic engineering or foods containing high fructose corn syrup may be labeled as “natural.”
Although the FDA has not engaged in rulemaking to establish a formal definition for the term “natural,” we do have a longstanding policy concerning the use of “natural” in human food labeling. The FDA has considered the term “natural” to mean that nothing artificial or synthetic (including all color additives regardless of source) has been included in, or has been added to, a food that would not normally be expected to be in that food. However, this policy was not intended to address food production methods, such as the use of pesticides, nor did it explicitly address food processing or manufacturing methods, such as thermal technologies, pasteurization, or irradiation. The FDA also did not consider whether the term “natural” should describe any nutritional or other health benefit.
Specifically, the FDA asks for information and public comment on questions such as:
- Whether it is appropriate to define the term “natural,”
- If so, how the agency should define “natural,” and
- How the agency should determine appropriate use of the term on food labels.
The FDA is accepting public comments beginning on November 12, 2015. To electronically submit comments to the docket, visithttp://www.regulations.gov and type FDA-2014-N-1207 in the search box.
To submit comments to the docket by mail, use the following address. Be sure to include docket number FDA-2014-N-1207on each page of your written comments.
Division of Dockets Management HFA-305
Food and Drug Administration
5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1061
Rockville, MD 20852
For more information:
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