An FDA summary of the petition can be found at: http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm347194.htm.



The 90-day public comment period began on February 20, 2013 and ends May 21, 2013. You can submit your comments at www.regulations.gov<http://www.regulations.gov>.  You can search for a proposed rule by its docket number

(In this case, Docket No. FDA-2009-P-0147).





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FDA Wants Your Opinion on Dairy-Product Labels



CDC National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

DIVISION OF NUTRITION, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND OBESITY (DNPAO)



May 2013



The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is soliciting public comment on a petition submitted by the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF).  They are requesting that FDA change the ‘standard of identity’ for milk and 17 other dairy products (including non-fat dry milk, heavy cream, eggnog, half-and-half and sour cream) to provide for the use of any safe and suitable sweetener as an optional ingredient, including non-nutritive (artificial) sweeteners. The ‘standard of identity’ is the federal requirement that determines what ingredients some food products must contain to be marketed under certain names.



If the petition is approved, FDA would no longer require dairy manufacturers to prominently label flavored milk as “reduced calorie” when it replaces a nutritive sweetener (such as sugar) with a non-nutritive sweetener (such as aspartame or sucralose).



The FDA recognizes the importance of this decision and is interested in hearing from the public on the petition. In particular, FDA welcomes comments on issues such as:





  *   Will the proposed change in FDA’s milk labeling regulations provide sufficient information for consumers to understand what is in the milk they are buying?







  *   The petition states that flavored milk labels with descriptions such as “reduced calorie” are unattractive to children. Are children’s purchasing habits affected by flavored milk labels that currently bear these descriptions?







  *   Will the proposed change in FDA’s milk labeling regulations create an increased burden for consumers who want to know whether a product contains a nutritive or non-nutritive sweetener?





























CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity envisions a world where regular physical activity, good nutrition, and healthy weight are a part of everyone’s life.

E-mail: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> | Web: www.cdc.gov<http://www.cdc.gov>





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