IDFA’s Frye emphasizes need for dairy in dietary guidelines
Despite claims designed to mislead and scare consumers, dairy’s health attributes are deserving of special emphasis in updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), according to Cary Frye, senior vice president for regulatory affairs with the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA). Frye presented testimony during a DGA advisory committee meeting, Jan. 24, in Houston, Texas.
The DGA is updated every five years, developed by an advisory committee (DGAC) to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HSS) and the USDA. The “2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans” update is scheduled for release at the end of 2020. Beyond providing dietary recommendations, the document is also used as the basis for dairy options served as part of the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs and other federal feeding programs.
Read: Research seeks to fill milk ‘whole’ in dietary guidelines.
“Disappointingly, this committee as well as American consumers have been subjected to misleading claims about dairy products,” Frye said. “These false claims have confused and scared the public for years using weak studies based on questionable scientific methods and preyed on the media’s preference for controversy.”
Frye’s requests submitted to the DGAC included:
1. Dairy should continue as a separate food group in the 2020-25 DGA.
2. The DGAs must preserve the recommended three servings of dairy per day in dietary patterns to ensure Americans meet their recommended intakes of essential nutrients.
3. DGAC should embrace the evidence showing dairy foods at all fat levels are part of a nutritious diet.
“There is no equal replacement for cow’s milk, which provides significant nutrients including high-quality protein, calcium, vitamin D and potassium, and health benefits including better bone health and lower risk for Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease,” Frye said.
Since the DGAs were last updated, Frye said three things have occurred that should cement dairy’s place within the DGA. First, a panel of health experts from organizations including the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association recommended children under 5 consume just two beverages – cow’s milk and water. Second, dietary advice in other countries have recommended full-fat dairy products as part of dietary patterns. Third, several meta-analyses indicate there is no negative effect on heart health from consuming dairy, no matter whether those dairy products were full-fat or low-fat.
Although the gathering in Texas was the fourth meeting of the 2020 DGAC, it was the first opportunity for IDFA to give oral testimony. IDFA previously submitted written comments to the DGAC last October.
Senators call on FDA to enforce ‘dairy’ labels
A handful of dairy state lawmakers sent a letter to new FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, urging his agency to take action to enforce restrictions on the use of dairy terms in labels on nondairy products.
Initiated by U.S. Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), others signing the letter were Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), Tina Smith (D-Minnesota), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King, (I-Maine).
The FDA process of reviewing those labels has been ongoing for more than a year.
“Under former Commissioner [Scott] Gottlieb, the FDA began a process of reviewing how to enforce regulations defining what may be labeled a dairy product,” the letter noted. “That process included a public comment period that has concluded. Dairy farmers are now waiting for action from FDA. We encourage you to move swiftly to address this unfairness and ensure that dairy terms may only be used to describe products that include dairy. Imposter products should no longer be able to get away with violating law and taking advantage of dairy’s good name,” the senators wrote.
The National Milk Producers Federation submitted testimony during the public comment period.
Meanwhile, individual states continue to advance legislative efforts to address dairy labels. Bills in Virginia (House bill 119) and Oklahoma (House bill 2994) would prohibit plant-based milk alternative products from marketing their products as “milk.”
House panel to consider Dairy PRIDE Act
The Dairy PRIDE Act was to be reviewed by the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health during a hearing Wednesday, Jan. 29. NMPF Executive Vice President Tom Balmer was scheduled to testify about the need for legislation to compel FDA to take action against mislabeled fake dairy foods.
‘Whole milk’ petition drive continues
A petition drive to make whole milk available for school children is being circulated by Grassroots Citizens for Whole Milk for Healthy Kids. About 17,515 signatures had been gathered as of Jan. 24. (Read: Petition drive seeks to bring whole milk back to schools.) 
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Dave Natzke
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