Public comments flood in as FDA seeks the meaning of “natural” in food labels

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been flooded with thousands of public comments since a month ago it has been asking the public to define, authorize, or limit the use of the word "natural" on food labels.

The public comments could help the FDA decide whether to define "natural" on food labels and would provide consistency for consumers and manufacturers on the use of this term on human food labels.

The FDA has been asking the public on the labelling question since November 12 and will close the comment period on February 10. It has collected 2,227 public comments last week and thousands more will arrive, according to Seattle Times.

The FDA is taking this action as the consumers have requested the agency to explore the use of the term. The FDA received three Citizen Petitions asking the agency to  define the term "natural" for use in food labelling and one Citizen Petition asking the FDA to prohibit the term "natural" on food labels.

The action is also following the Federal courts' request for determinations from the FDA regarding whether ingredients produced using bioengineering may be labeled as natural.

In 2012, one of San Francisco residents filed a lawsuit in Federal court of San Francisco, claimed a tortilla chip brand, Gruma, misled consumers by labelling chips as "all natural", although they were made from genetically modified corn products.

In its comment request, FDA asks a series of questions regarding how to define the term "natural".

The agency invites public to comment on such issues as whether manufacturing process should be considered in determining whether a food may be called "natural".

It also asks whether and how consumers compare the term "natural" on foods with "organic" and "healthy", as well as the use of genetic engineering should influence the applicability of "natural" labels.

The term "natural" on food labels today follows the FDA guidance issued in early 1990s that states, "nothing artificial or synthetic (including all color additives regardless of source) has been included in, or has been added to, a food that would not normally be expected to be in the food," according to Law360.

But this guidance allows the foods or beverages with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) or genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to still be labeled as natural.

According to QSR Magazine, 39 percent of Americans consume foods or beverages with an "all-natural" or "natural ingredients" special label. The food industry analysts research found that consumers rely on food labels to see what's not included and what is included in products.

Some of public comments said that the manufacturers won't benefit from "natural" food labels, and advised the FDA to make the manufacturers to be specific about their food is or isn't.