The Food and Drug Administration announced on Thursday that it is moving ahead on modernizing its standards of identity for plant-based dairy alternatives, like soy and almond milks. The agency issued a request for information to solicit public comments on how shoppers interpret the nutritional value of non-dairy milks and cheeses. Those comments will inform the agency’s efforts to update standards of identity for the products.
“We’re interested to know if consumers are aware of, and understand, the nutritional characteristics and differences among these products — and between these products and dairy — when they make dietary choices for themselves and their families,” said FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb in a statement. “The FDA has concerns that the labeling of some plant-based products may lead consumers to believe that those products have the same key nutritional attributes as dairy products, even though these products can vary widely in their nutritional content.”
The dairy industry and some dairy farmers have called on the FDA to impose more rigorous labeling standards on non-dairy milks, cheeses, and other plant-based dairy alternatives, which they say threaten the market share of dairy products. Milk consumption has been declining over the past several decades; U.S. consumers now drink an average of about 18 gallons of milk annually, compared to 30 in the 1970s. Meanwhile, sales of almond milk have grown 250 percent over the past five years.
The agency says it is now on a “fast track to take a fresh look” at the labeling standards for plant-based dairy alternatives. In his statement, Gottlieb said that the effort to modernize standards of identity is part of the agency’s “overall efforts to reduce chronic disease and its impact on public health” and “empower individuals who are using nutrition to improve their health and the health of their families.” The agency aims to “take action to ensure that consumers are not under the misconception that their plant-based beverage is a dairy product in disguise.”