The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted manufacturers of edible oils containing high levels of oleic acid the ability to include a qualified health claim on their label stating that "supportive but not conclusive scientific evidence suggests that daily consumption of about 1½ tablespoons (20 grams) of oils containing high levels of oleic acid may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease." The claim will need to make it clear that to achieve this benefit, these oils "should replace fats and oils higher in saturated fat and not increase the total number of calories you eat in a day." Edible oils must contain at least 70 percent oleic acid to meet the criteria for this qualified health claim. Specific edible oils include high-oleic sunflower oil, high-oleic safflower oil, high-oleic canola oil, olive oil, and high-oleic algal oil.
In a statement, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb clarified that an authorized health claim meets the more rigorous standard of "significant scientific agreement," while a qualified health claim means it is supported by more limited scientific evidence that doesn't meet the rigorous standard. To ensure qualified claims aren't misleading, they must be accompanied by a disclaimer to communicate to consumers the level of scientific evidence supporting the claim. Gottlieb adds that the science behind the new qualified health claim for oleic acid, while not conclusive, is promising.
Related:Olive Oil Industry Faces Challenges; FDA Aims to Simplify Food Labeling to Promote Health.
from Industry Operations https://ift.tt/2Q6Hybf
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