FDA delays when a final rule on what foods can be labeled as ‘healthy’ goes into effect

The US Food and Drug Administration’s new standards for foods before they can be labeled as “healthy” on their packaging will go into effect about two months later than planned, according to a government document scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on Tuesday.

In December, the FDA finalized a rule that updates the nutritional requirements a human food item must meet to claim on its packaging that it is “healthy.” That final rule was published with an effective date of February 25, 2025.

But in January, President Donald Trump issued a memorandum entitled “Regulatory Freeze Pending Review,” which in part puts a freeze on new rules until a department or agency head appointed or designated by the President reviews and approves the rule as well as orders agencies to postpone the effective date for any rules that may have been published in the Federal Register but have not taken effect, for the purpose of review.

“In accordance with this direction, FDA is delaying the effective date of the final rule ‘Food Labeling: Nutrient Content Claims; Definition of Term “Healthy”’ (89 FR 106064), until April 28, 2025. We note that the compliance date remains unchanged at this time,” according to the document.

Use of “healthy” labeling is voluntary for food manufacturers. Foods that meet the new requirements can start using the label once the rule is effective, while those that don’t currently meet the standards of the new rule still have until 2028 or three years to conform.

Among the requirements, the final rule includes limits on added sugars, saturated fat and sodium for foods to be labeled as “healthy,” and “healthy” foods must also contain a certain amount of a key food group, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats or low-fat dairy. The rule also sets forth requirements for establishing and maintaining certain records for foods bearing the “healthy” claim.

About 5% of all packaged foods in the current marketplace are labeled as “healthy,” according to the final rule. Some foods that could previously carry the healthy label — such as white bread and heavily sweetened cereal and yogurt — will no longer qualify. But nuts and seeds, salmon and olive oil and some peanut butters and canned fruits and vegetables are among those that will newly qualify.

“The last time ‘healthy’ was defined on packaging was in the 1990s. Based on the nutrition science and federal dietary guidelines at that time, the definition was solely focused on individual nutrients; for example, it included limits for saturated fat, total fat, cholesterol, and sodium and required a certain amount of beneficial nutrients like certain vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein,” according to a webpage on the FDA’s website, which contains content current as of Monday. “Today, we have a greater understanding of dietary patterns and their effects on health, and we recognize that foods are made up of a variety of nutrients that work together as part of a healthy dietary pattern.”

CNN’s Deidre McPhillips contributed to this report.