Leveraging Food Technology for Obesity Prevention and Reduction Efforts: Workshop Summary by Leslie Pray

Author:Leslie Pray
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The National Academies Press
Published: 2014-06-17T00:00:00+00:00

Regulatory Issues

Claims about the health benefits of an improved product can be made only if the reduction is 25 percent or more relative to the last formulation. Demonstrating that manufacturers have in fact made a 25 percent reduction poses a significant challenge because, as Rao said, meeting the minimum standards necessary for such a reduction requires precise control of multiple factors during the manufacturing process. For example, as previously mentioned, Frito-Lay had to develop a novel dynamic matrix controller technology for controlling the frying of SunChips in order to ensure that the product met the health claims of at least 25 percent less fat and the labeling claims of 30 percent less fat (i.e., compared to regular potato chips). Use of the technology has since expanded to other products as well.

Another significant regulatory challenge is the approval of new food ingredients, such as reduced-calorie or zero-calorie sweeteners. For example, earning GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) status requires collecting a large amount of data on the identity of the ingredient (which requires precise analytical characterization), conditions of proposed use (i.e., the types of products in which the ingredient will be used), intended technical effect (e.g., for sweetening), manufacturing methods, estimated daily intake, acceptable daily intake, and safety study data. Leahy pointed to Truvia, a zero-calorie stevial leaf extract developed jointly by the Coca-Cola Company and Cargill as a sweetener that has proven very successful despite having been met by regulatory hurdles. The actual sweetening component in Truvia, rebiana, was granted GRAS status by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2008. Internationally, the Joint FAO-WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives also deemed Stevia extracts, including rebiana, safe. Now, Truvia is in a variety of products such as Sprite Green (50 calories per 8 fluid ounces), VitaminWater Zero (0 calories per 8 fluid ounces), and Odwalla Quencher (50 calories per 8 fluid ounces).

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