Health Claims

FDA ruling unlocks the first ever qualified health claim for yogurt

04-Mar-2024 By Teodora Lyubomirova

Yogurt brands will be able to leverage a scientifically-backed health claim for the first time thanks to a successful petition lodged by Danone North America.

FTC 'clarifies' claims substantiation of Health Products Compliance Guidance

22-Sep-2023 By Stephen Daniells

Despite language in the 2022 Health Products Compliance Guidance around the need for clinical trials to substantiate health claims, the US Federal Trade Commission has stated that not all claims require that level of substantiation.

Study questions omega-3 supplement labeling, calls for increased regulation

23-Aug-2023 By Stephen Daniells

A new paper in JAMA Cardiology that criticizes the use of structure/function claims on omega-3 dietary supplements is “fraught with inaccuracies and never should have made it through the peer review process”, says the Global Organization for EPA and DHA...

Study explores CBD (non)effects on health-related fitness

21-Jun-2023 By Asia Sherman

Sports nutritionists at the University of Northern Colorado are investigating the influence of CBD consumption in physically active adults to resolve incongruities in the data surrounding its effects.

Ullman breaks down FTC’s recent Health Products Compliance Guidance

22-Mar-2023 By Stephen Daniells

The details around claims substantiation in the recently released Health Products Compliance Guidance from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) could be a “huge sea change”, says attorney Marc Ullman.

'Full control over the value chain': Arla enters partnership with First Milk over whey production

10-Nov-2022 By Teodora Lyubomirova

First Milk will manufacture specialist whey protein powder for Arla Foods Ingredients, enabling it to address the growing consumer trend for protein-enriched foods.

Micronutrient bar first envisioned by Dr Bruce Ames launched at retail

22-Aug-2022 By Hank Schultz

A micronutrient bar first developed by renowned researcher Dr Bruce Ames, PhD, has reached widespread commercialization via a partnership with the Kroger Co.

MLM cited for continued claims to treat autism, dementia, other conditions

27-Jul-2022 By Hank Schultz

An MLM that sells dietary supplements has been advised to remove claims relating to conditions such as autism, dementia and other disorders from the social media posts managed by distributors.

The war on obesity could be won by bacterium originally isolated from cheese, an expert says

07-Apr-2022 By Liza Laws

A bacterium originally used as a lactic ferment by the dairy industry and more recently as a probiotic could help win the war on obesity, an expert thinks.

Gummy maker directed to drop health claim linked to apple cider vinegar content

28-Jan-2022 By Hank Schultz

A manufacturer’s claim that its apple cider vinegar gummies contain a health-promoting dose of the ingredient has been rejected by the National Advertising Division.

Supplier trying to avoid killing astaxanthin golden goose

08-Nov-2021 By Hank Schultz

Spreading the claims butter too thin and not investing in science can kill any category, even a popular one with durable demand, an astaxanthin supplier claims.

How packaging influences shopper's perception of health

08-Oct-2021 By Nikki Hancocks

New research provides insights into which elements of packaging have the biggest impact on the consumer's perception of product healthiness, and how the demographics of the consumer will impact these perceptions.

NAD supports claims being made by ‘medical probiotic’ manufacturer

03-Mar-2021 By Hank Schultz

Probiotics manufacturer Pendulum Therapeutics Inc. got some welcome news today when the National Advertising Division announced that it has found that the claims the company makes for dietary control of Type 2 diabetes are supported by scientific evidence.

No therapeutic claims or implied imagery: Major pitfalls to avoid when advertising supplements in NZ

17-Dec-2020 By Tingmin Koe

Companies advertising their dietary supplement products in New Zealand should avoid pitfalls such as making therapeutic claims, using imagery that implies therapeutic purposes, or overpromising a health outcome.

China’s health claims update: SAMR unveils 24 new indications for public consultation

30-Nov-2020 By Tingmin Koe

China is revamping its list of permitted claims for health foods and has unveiled 24 new claims for public consultation.

FDA takes aim at claims for infant food allergy prevention

23-Oct-2020 By Hank Schultz

The US Food and Drug Administration has taken action against two companies that claim their products can help prevent children from developing food allergies. The claims turn the products into unapproved drugs, the Agency claims.

Commentary article of the week

Pandemic could be lever to open up new era in health claims

31-Jul-2020 By Hank Schultz

The dietary supplement industry has an opportunity to help shape the debate about optimal health in wake of the pandemic crisis.

Warning letters continue as pandemic rages on

26-May-2020 By Danielle Masterson

The Federal Trade Commission has sent out another round of warning letters to 50 more marketers nationwide, most of which are labeled as dietary supplements or Chinese herbs.

NPA’s Fabricant: ‘It’s a global pandemic. We need to speak a global language when it comes to the science around vitamin D and zinc’

06-May-2020 By Stephen Daniells

Every week, new studies are emerging that highlight the important roles that nutrients like vitamin D and zinc play for our immune systems, but the dietary supplements industry cannot talk about much of it. Eventually, this needs to be rectified, said...

Regulators using ever more powerful microscopes to look for disease claims, attorney says

01-May-2020 By Hank Schultz

Marketers of natural products need to be on their best behavior during this pandemic crisis as regulatory authorities comb through every aspect of a company’s marketing to look for disease claims, an attorney says.

Coronavirus immunity claim warning for Omega-3 industry

24-Mar-2020 By Nikki Hancocks

Omega-3 businesses have been warned about the dangers of making immunity claims during this Coronavirus crisis.

Gencor gets Canadian health claims approval for fenugreek ingredient

11-Feb-2020

Health Canada has approved four health claims for Gencor’s standardized fenugreek extract, Libifem.

Guest article

New health claims, new science, and steady sales: Why 2019 was a ‘solid’ year for omega-3s

12-Dec-2019 By Ellen Schutt, Executive Director, GOED

The year 2019 was a solid one for the omega-3 business, with sales remaining steady. In the US, the market was mostly flat, but strong regional growth in the Asia-Pacific region and other emerging markets led to category growth overall.

Editor's Spotlight

AOR founder: ‘I believe that ‘Made in Canada’ is a selling point’

04-Apr-2019 By Adi Menayang

Dr Traj Nibber, trained as a pharmacist, moved from the UK to Canada to start a pharmacy in 1989. Realizing that it’s hard to compete against the big chains, he shifted focus to supplements.

China supplement firms under fire for exaggerating product benefits in advertisements

20-Aug-2018 By Tingmin Koe

Three China health supplement manufacturers were found to have breached advertising rules and regulations.

Indian supplement industry 'surprised' by regulator's restrictive ingredients notice: IDMA expert

04-Jul-2018 By Cheryl Tay

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a notification detailing its updated directions for a list of ingredients it deems unsuitable for further use in health foods and supplements.

Industry reaction: What #Brexit means for UK & EU nutrition sectors

24-Jun-2016 By Shane STARLING

For the first time the European Union has lost a member after the British people yesterday voted to leave the bloc which began life as the European Economic Community in 1951.

FARE: "It is just shockingly absurd!"

EU court answers the ‘burning question’: Yes, the claims regulation can be applied to B2B

11-Mar-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) says the nutrition and health claims regulation (NHCR) could be applied to “commercial communications” intended for professionals but with the goal of indirectly reaching consumers.

Lycored makes a play for European Beauty From Within market

07-May-2015 By Niamh Michail

On the back of a successful US launch, Lycored will release its nutraceutical ingredient in Europe as it predicts growth opportunities for the Beauty from Within segment.

Special edition: Beauty from within

In the eye of the beholder: Where does the EU stand on beauty claims?

18-Mar-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Unlike health claims, ‘beauty from within’ claims are regulated post-market and only when challenged – and how this process goes will depend on the case and the member state concerned.

Researchers unravel EU hydrocolloid health claims

14-Aug-2014 By Anne Bruce

Planning, wording and relevant science are the keys to fibre health claim success in the EU, researchers have found after scrutinising the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) approach to hydrocolloids.

Special edition: Pre and Probiotics

Probiotic call: Forget health claims (consumers have)

20-Feb-2014 By Shane STARLING

Probiotic players obsessed with winning health claims needn’t bother as consumers don’t value them anyway, a leading consultant says.

Live from Probiota 2014

IPA calls for fresh global alliance in probiotics

05-Feb-2014 By Shane Starling in Amsterdam

The founder of the International Probiotics Association (IPA) has called on the Global Alliance for Probiotics (GAP) to work with it to develop the science and dossiers that can win health claims in Europe and elsewhere.

Special edition: Botanicals

EU's ongoing botanicals battle: ‘Consumers need more information’

07-Nov-2013 By Chris Whitehouse

The European Union botanicals sector has been in limbo since 2010 when 2078 botanical health claim applications were placed on hold as the European Commission bowed to pressure to reconsider the scientific criteria for their validation. With no end to...

Introducing phytochemomics: A new way to help win herbal health claims, say researchers

29-Jul-2013 By Nathan Gray

The use of novel phytochemomics technologies will define cause and effect relationships for phytochemicals that will assist in the substantiation of health claims for herbals and botanicals, say researchers.

New EFSA health claims chief: “I prefer pedagogic behavior”; offers 2013 hope

11-Dec-2012 By Shane STARLING

As the formlisation of the main organ (article 13.1 list) of the nutrition and health claims regulation (NHCR) kicks in this week, Professor Ambroise Martin, the new chair of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) health claims panel, tells NutraIngredients...

Vitafoods: EU nutra space wriggles into new health claims clothes

15-May-2012 By Shane Starling

Vitafoods celebrates its 15th birthday next week. It’ll be my 11th consecutive May visit to Geneva for the jamboree and promises to be one of the most intriguing chapters with the (partial and belated) resolution of years of ambiguity regarding health...

Lobbyists, start your engines: Can a new health claims formula be won in the European Parliament?

12-Dec-2011 By Shane Starling

Five years ago the European Union nutrition and health claims regulation (NHCR) became law. Around the bloc, hopeful EU healthy foods and supplements stakeholders submitted more than 44,000 health claim applications.

Dispatches from SupplySide West 2011

US businesses face rude shock as EU health claims laws loom

14-Oct-2011 By Shane Starling in Las Vegas

US companies need to get up to speed with European Union health claim changes or face big hits on existing trade or missed opportunities, according to the chief of a leading UK supplements group.

Attorney: Vitamin D qualified health claims petition still 'months away'

26-Jul-2011 By Elaine Watson

It could be several months before a qualified health claims petition about vitamin D is submitted to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), according to the lawyer coordinating the application.

Probiotic product pipeline looks unaffected by claims furore

25-Feb-2011 By Jess Halliday

The market for probiotic-containing products looks to be uncowed by the recent crackdown on claims by the Federal Trade Commission, with a new Ganeden product launching in Walmart stores.

Better FDA guidance needed to avoid ‘misleading’ health claims

18-Jan-2011 By Caroline Scott-Thomas

The FDA needs to provide better industry guidance on how to avoid making potentially misleading health claims on food labels, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO).

Are health claims making your business sick?

23-Dec-2010 By Shane Starling

2010 has been another tough year for the European functional food and supplements industries as health claim rejections have continued to flood in, leaving some in a state of high anxiety, fear and dread. Others are just mildly annoyed at a situation...

A transatlantic view of regulations and health claims

07-Dec-2010 By Stephen Daniells

Should the FDA work to be more like EFSA? Speaking at the NutraIngredients Health Claims 2010 conference Andrew Shao said the two organisations are already very similar in the way they review scientific claims.

FDA should copy EFSA for health claims, says Scientific American

09-Sep-2010 By Stephen Daniells

The FDA is too lenient regarding health claims and should follow EFSA’s lead and hold foods “to the same scientific standards as those for drugs”, according to the editors of Scientific American.

Lawyers present EU health claims overview for US firms

16-Aug-2010 By Lorraine Heller

Legal experts for the food industry will this week hold a briefing on the European health claims regulatory landscape, designed to help US food exporters understand the current issues facing the industry.

Nestle critical of selenium health claim ruling

21-Jun-2010 By Shane Starling

Influential New York-based, food policy academic Marion Nestle says a recent court action ordering the FDA to remove lengthy disclaimers from selenium health claims will open the floodgates to misleading advertising.

Groundhog Day for European health claims?

19-Apr-2010 By Shane Starling

“Many in industry are pinning their hopes on EFSA showing them the light at the meeting, including the likes of Danone, which withdrew three probiotic immunity/digestive health article 13.5 claims in April, citing clarification it is expecting on Big...

Don’t destroy hard-won health claim freedom, says ANH

08-Jan-2010 By Shane Starling

The Alliance for Natural Health says a recent missive sent to the FDA by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) calling for the abolishment of structure-function and qualified health claims, would favor large companies and decimate the natural...

EFSA, FDA, Health Canada to discuss health claims

07-Jan-2010

 The European Food Safety Authority, US Food and Drug Administration, and Health Canada will share a platform at an upcoming Cantox-hosted health claims conference.