CRN submits comments to FDA regarding proposed label changes

WASHINGTON — The Council for Responsible Nutrition on Friday submitted comments to the Food and Drug Adminisration regarding the agency's proposed rule changes of nutrition and supplement facts labels. 

 

CRN commended FDA for proposing to continue using the Recommended Dietary Allowance, when available, as the basis for determining the Reference Daily Intakes for nutrients. Basing the RDI on the Estimated Average Requirement, which was considered by FDA in developing the proposed rule, would effectively dilute the nutrient requirements for Americans, CRN suggested." The EAR represents the daily intake level estimated to satisfy the needs of only half of the people in each life-stage and sex group," CRN wrote. "In contrast, an RDI based on an RDA would meet the daily requirements of nearly all (97.5%) healthy individuals in a given group."

 

And CRN supported FDA’s tentative conclusion that RDIs for vitamins and minerals should continue to be based on a population-coverage approach, that is, using the highest age/gender group RDA value. "CRN agrees with FDA’s rationale that the population-coverage approach would cover vulnerable or at-risk groups sufficiently. Using the population-weighted approach instead would result in a higher risk of nutrient inadequacy for some population groups because the RDIs would be derived by averaging the nutrient requirements for groups with lesser needs and those with greater needs."

 

For the full 29-page report, which includes recommendations on the labeling of specific vitamins, click here.