FDA tells KINDSnacks to remove ‘healthy’ from label

The Food and Drug Administration is ordering KINDSnacks to stop claiming that their fruit and nut bars are “healthy.”

{mosads}In a letter to Kind LLC CEO Daniel Lubetsky, FDA said it reviewed the labels of the company’s Kind Fruit & Nut Almond & Apricot, Kind Fruit & Nut Almond & Coconut, Kind Plus Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate + Protein, and Kind Plus Dark Chocolate Cherry Cashew + Antioxidants products and found that none of the products meet the requirements to be labeled as “healthy.”

FDA said the products exceed saturated fat by 1 gram per 40 grams and exceed the 15 percent maximum calories from saturated fat allowed to be considered low in saturated fat. The products, according to the agency also exceed by 3 grams the maximum amount of total fat per 40 grams to be considered “low fat” products.

FDA said the bars are misbranded under the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act “because the labels include the nutrient content claim “Good Source of Fiber” without including the required statement disclosing that the food is not low in total fat in immediate proximity to the claim.”

Since it is Kind LLC’s responsibility to ensure its products comply with the federal regulations, FDA said failure to correct the violations could result in regulatory action without further notice. The company has 15 days to respond to the agency’s claims.

Kind however, is standing behind its “healthy” snack food claims.

In a statement, company spokesman Joe Cohen said a key ingredient in Kind products are nuts, which contain nutritious fats that exceed the amount allowed under the FDA standard.

“There is an overwhelming body of scientific evidence supporting that nuts are wholesome and nutritious,” he said. “This is similar to other foods that do not meet the standard for use of the term healthy, but are generally considered to be good for you like avocados, salmon and eggs.”

Cohen said the company is fully committed to working with FDA and is moving quickly to comply with its request.