STANDARDS & GUIDELINES FOR HEALTHY FOODS INTERNATIONAL EXPO
New Hope’s Standards Department will review the eligibility of products for exhibit at Healthy Foods International based on the following standards and guidelines:
FOOD PRODUCTS
Standards
The following criteria will be used to evaluate food products:
Reduced* calories
Reduced* fat, saturated fat and trans fat
Reduced* sodium
Reduced* cholesterol
Reduced* sugar
Allergen-free foods
Increased use of whole grains and fiber
Increased use of vitamins, minerals and functional ingredients
Fruits and vegetables in convenient packaging
All-natural and certified organic products
* U.S. FDA defines the term "reduced" as: "At least 25% fewer calories per reference amount than an appropriate reference food." A "reference food" is an established regular product or average representative product.
In addition, all product labeling must comply with current U.S. federal regulations, including FDA, USDA and FTC regulations.
Guidelines
The guideline for products defined as "healthy" is based on the "FDA definition of Healthy when used on a food label":
A "healthy" food must be low in fat and saturated fat and contain limited amounts of cholesterol and sodium. In addition, if it's a single-item food, it must provide at least 10 percent of one or more of vitamins A or C, iron, calcium, protein, or fiber. Exempt from this "10-percent" rule are certain raw, canned and frozen fruits and vegetables and certain cereal-grain products. These foods can be labeled "healthy," if they do not contain ingredients that change the nutritional profile, and, in the case of enriched grain products, conform to standards of identity, which call for certain required ingredients. If it's a meal-type product, such as frozen entrees and multi-course frozen dinners, it must provide 10 percent of two or three of these vitamins or minerals or of protein or fiber, in addition to meeting the other criteria. The sodium content cannot exceed 360 mg per serving for individual foods and 480 mg per serving for meal-type products.
For specific information, see U.S. FDA’s "Food Labeling Guide," http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/flg-toc.html.
NON-FOOD PRODUCTS
Guidelines
Products should contain minimal substances that are damaging to health and that are manufactured in an environmentally friendly process.
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