The Food and Drug Administration performs the critical task of providing consumers with clear nutritional information by enforcing labeling standards, but there is still work to be done on the misuse of terms on labels. Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin said she’s worked for years with farmers and dairy processors to eliminate the misuse of dairy terms in labeling imitation dairy products.
During a recent hearing, Baldwin said that studies show conclusively that consumers mistakenly believe that plant-based alternatives are nutritionally equivalent or superior to dairy products. Imitation products have also been linked to health problems in infants and children.
James Jones, Deputy Commissioner of Human Foods at the FDA, testified during the hearing about why the FDA only instituted voluntary labeling guidance.
The FDA does ask manufacturers to label their products as not nutritionally equivalent to dairy products. Jones said that voluntary guidance is proving insufficient.
For more information, visit fda.gov.
