The Different Types of Health Claim Labels

Updated on May 5, 2021
The Different Types of Health Claim Labels

The FDA requires that all food and dietary supplements provide clear and legible labels that state accurate health claims, nutrition information, and product function. Providing false information or false health claims could damage businesses and mislead consumers. This blog will explain the different types of health claim labels to ensure all business products meet proper labeling standards and requirements.

Health Claim Labels

Health claim labels will inform consumers that a food product or ingredient within a food product may reduce the risk of different health conditions or diseases.

For health claim labels to pass FDA regulation, scientific evidence that supports these relationships between a product and the reduced risks of diseases must be proven. For example, a product may contain a heath claim label that indicates a lower sodium content that reduces the risk of high blood pressure. 

However, health claim labels are not legally allowed to state that food products or ingredients directly cure or treat health conditions or diseases. Making unauthorized health claims is illegal and could lead to serious business consequences. Understanding the difference between authorized and unauthorized health claims is imperative to identifying how to avoid product recall and legal recourse.

Nutrient Content Claim Labels

Nutrient content claim labels focus more on alerting customers to the measurements of a product’s ingredients. These labels will compare the nutrition of different ingredients in products with phrasing such as “low fat” or “high fiber.”

For products to use these labels, a brand’s product must accurately reflect higher or lower measurements of their ingredients. For example, if a company’s milk is labeled low-fat, that milk product must contain less fat than a brand’s previous milk products. These labels help customers compare different nutritional values between products more efficiently.

Function Claim Labels

These claims are commonly found on food products and dietary supplements. These labels describe the direct relationship between product ingredients and their health effects on the body. For example, a product may state that vitamin D boosts immune health. However, similar to health claim labels, products must indicate that ingredients do not diagnose, cure, or treat any disease. Customers should easily understand the direct function of active ingredients and how they may affect their immediate health.

Understanding the different types of health claim labels and their function is necessary for every food and dietary supplement business. Providing proper health claim labels on food and dietary products is critical to meeting FDA requirements and protecting customers’ health. All health claim labels should be clear and proven with scientific evidence to give consumers the highest degree of transparency and assure brand dependability.