In comments submitted this week, IDFA asked the Food and Drug Administration to allow enforcement discretion on qualified health claims that link consumption of yogurt to a reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes. IDFA submitted the comments in support of a petition by Danone North America to allow the discretion and the claim.

IDFA outlined the science supporting the health claim and noted that this benefit of yogurt is mentioned in the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and in recommendations from the American Diabetes Association. IDFA also said enforcement discretion should extend to all standardized yogurts, including sweetened and unsweetened and all fat levels.

“Only 10% of Americans consume yogurt on any given day; a qualified health claim for this highly nutritious food could provide Americans with more reason to include it in their daily diet,” said Cary Frye, IDFA senior vice president of regulatory affairs, who submitted the comments. “This accurate and important health information should be available to Americans on yogurt labels.”

• Read the comments here.

For more information, contact Frye at cfrye@idfa.org.