FDA Finalizes Barley Health Claim

Earlier this week, FDA announced it finalized a rule on a health claim for barley. Products that contain at least 0.75 grams of soluble fiber per serving, in the form of whole-grain or dry-milled barley ingredients such as flakes, grits, flour and pearled barley, can state the following on the label: "Soluble fiber from foods such as (name of food), as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. A serving of (name of food) supplies (X) grams of the soluble fiber necessary per day to have this effect."

No changes were made to the interim final rule FDA established in Dec. 2005. During the 75-day public comment period, FDA didn't receive any comments that would justify any changes to the wording of the claim.

"FDA is pursuing new initiatives to help consumers improve the choices they have for healthy and nutritious diets," says Dr. Scott Gottlieb, deputy commissioner, FDA. "We firmly believe that one of the best ways to encourage healthier eating habits is to help consumers get truthful, up-to-date, science-based information about food products so that they can make choices that are based on a better understanding of the health consequences of their diets."

To view the complete final rule, see http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/98FR/04p-0512-nfr0001.pdf.