FDA releases draft guidance on how plant-based milk items should be labeled | CNN

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The US Food and Drug Administration issued draft guidance Wednesday on how companies should label plant-based products that are marketed and sold as alternatives to dairy milk, such as almond milk, oat milk or soy milk.

The draft guidance recommends that any plant-based milk product that has the word “milk” in its name should include a nutrient statement explaining how the product compares with dairy milk. For instance, a label could state: “Contains lower amounts of Vitamin D and calcium than milk.”

In September 2018, the FDA requested information on labeling plant-based milk products, leading to Wednesday’s draft guidance.

“Today’s draft guidance was developed to help address the significant increase in plant-based milk alternative products that we have seen become available in the marketplace over the past decade,” FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf said in a news release Wednesday.

“The draft recommendations issued today should lead to providing consumers with clear labeling to give them the information they need to make informed nutrition and purchasing decisions on the products they buy for themselves and their families,” he said.