The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released its draft guidelines for the labelling of plant-based milk alternatives, and has declared that such alternatives (including almond, cashew, soy, and other plant-based milks) may continue to label themselves as milk. The FDA notes that this guidance is meant to “provide industry with recommendations that will result in clear labeling to empower consumers with information to help them make more informed purchasing decisions.” They also recommend that most alternatives with the term “milk” in their name include a nutrition statement that communicates how the product compares with dairy milk. These guidelines follow an FDA notice requesting comment from the public to gain insight into how consumers view, use and understand various aspects of plant-based dairy alternatives in 2018, which received over 13,000 comments.
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