A dairy group says the proposed Healthy Labeling rule for food will steer consumers away from healthy dairy products.
Researcher Sherry Bunting with the American Dairy Coalition tells Brownfield the proposed changes to the labels would push consumers away from nutrient-rich dairy products. “There’s always been a healthy labeling rule but now, they’re trying to bring nutrition back into it, but they’re failing because nutient-dense foods like dairy will be discriminated against unless they are nonfat and low-fat.”
Bunting says the proposed new front-of-label nutrition label would also rate the product as low, medium, or high in saturated fat, sodium, and added sugar. “So it kind of makes consumers look at that rating on the front and then not pay attention to the actual nutrients the food may provide on the back so I think it confuses people.”
Bunting says her research shows the only dairy foods that would qualify under the proposed labeling rule would be low-fat and nonfat unflavored yogurt and nonfat milk, yet dairy delivers three of the four nutrients government agencies say are under-consumed.
Bunting says there are already exceptions for nutrient-dense foods with high saturated fats like nuts, seeds, and soy products. “I think dairy has a good case to make here, that it’s a nutrient-dense product or food and beverage, so that if you are going to consume saturated fat in your diet, you’re going to get all of these nutrients with it and so we can be judicious about that.”
AUDIO: Sherry Bunting with the American Dairy Coalition discusses problems with the proposed Healthy Labeling Rule being considered by the Food and Drug Administration with Brownfield’s Larry Lee
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