FDA Approves Omega-3 Health Claim, Industry Applauds Decision

FDA Approves Omega-3 Health Claim, Industry Applauds Decision

WASHINGTONThe U.S. Food and DrugAdministration (FDA) permits nutrient content claims for foods containingspecific omega-3 fatty acidsDHA (docosahexaenoic acid), EPA (eicosapentanoicacid) and ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), as omega-3s may help reduce the risk ofcoronary heart disease. As the FDA declined to respond within the required120-day time period to a petition submitted on behalf of three Washington-basedseafood processors, the approval became retroactive Jan. 16 of this year.

FDAs approval was applauded by many in the food andsupplement industry, as well as health professionals. This development is amajor milestone in the long road that we have traveled to educate the public andthe food and nutritional product industries on the unique nutritional benefitsprovided by flaxseed, said Glenn Pizzey, co-founder and executive vicepresident research & operations for Pizzeys Milling. Alaska senator LisaMurkowski also celebrated the health claim and spoke on behalf of Alaskasfishing industry. This decision is great news for the Alaska seafood industryand for health-conscious consumers. ...

Acceptance of these claims by the Food and Drug Administrationwill allow our seafood processors and sellers, especially our salmon fisheries,to highlight for consumers products that contain high levels of DHA and EPA.

FDAs responsible handling of this notification allowsconsumers to receive information that promises to improve public health.