Whole grain claims
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
FDA has denied a citizen petition requesting that the agency develop definitions for the claims "good source" and "excellent source" when used on labels for whole grain foods. The May 2004 filing by General Mills maintained that the claims needed a definition because they did not qualify as either nutrient content or health claims. FDA disagrees in a Nov. 8 letter to the petitioner, stating that they "clearly resemble nutrient content claims." The agency also says that questions about how to classify such label statements "have significant regulatory implications, not only for whole grains but also for other items in the diet that may be similarly situated." FDA also is "considering the development of guidance on what we consider the term 'whole grains' to include"...