On December 19th, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a final rule to update the “healthy” nutrient content claim to help consumers identify food and beverages that are foundational foods for building healthy dietary patterns.
The final rule was a big deal for the tea industry, as it indicated that tea products, including tea bags and bottled tea, can now display the "healthy" claim on packaging as long as they contain less than five calories per 12 fluid ounce serving. This includes carbonated and noncarbonated teas containing non-caloric ingredients such as flavors, no- or low-calorie sweeteners, vitamins, and minerals.
This is the first time the FDA has updated the “healthy” nutrient content claim for use in food labeling since the early 1990s.
There are still restrictions in the ways tea can market its healthy and functional properties. For more on that, read our article "Is Tea Medicine? The Truth Behind Health Claims in the Tea Industry" from earlier this year.
Plan to Attend or Participate in World Tea Expo, March 24-26, 2025
To learn about other key developments, trends, issues, hot topics and products within the global tea community, plan to attend World Tea Expo, March 24-26, 2025 in Las Vegas, co-located with Bar & Restaurant Expo. Visit WorldTeaExpo.com.
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Phone: +1-212-895-8493; Email: [email protected]
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