The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has revealed that it is on a fast track to look at the labelling of food and beverages that are being sold as substitutes for dairy products.
A request for information has been launched as the agency examines its approach to the use of dairy food names like ‘milk’, ‘cheese’, or ‘yogurt’ in the labelling of dairy alternative products.
According to the FDA, these names are increasingly appearing in the labelling of plant-based products as part of the name or statement of identity of the product, for example ‘soy milk’ or ‘vegan mozzarella cheese’.
FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb has raised concerns that the labelling may lead consumers to believe the products have the name nutritional profile.