The cherry sector in the US is bouncing back after the Food & Drug Administration in the US issued letters to producers of cherry, blueberry and pomegranate products warning them to stop making disease prevention or treatment claims on their websites.
The Cherry Marketing Institute explained that the FDA did not discount any of the health benefits of cherries, but made clear that protocol was not being followed in terms of health claims alongside sales of product.
“We are taking this very seriously,” said a CMI spokeswoman. “All the companies involved are very small and largely grower-owned. It seems that where they have a sales page on their websites, they must keep health references off that page, and be careful with their wording.”
The CMI has been fielding telephone and e-mail queries from consumers since the letters were sent and the issue highlighted in the US press.
The health claims legislation in the US is very strict. A considerable body of evidence in support of a health claim for a particular food must first be submitted, reviewed and approved by the FDA before any product can carry specific wording about health-promoting properties. The administration recognises three different types of health claim: qualified, unqualified and structure/function claims.
“As an industry we are continuing to invest in research - on-going research shows that tart cherries are a rich source of antioxidants that may relieve pain and fight disease,” said the CMI spokeswoman. “It is just a question of how growers package that message on their products.”
US cherries have been promoted in the UK in recent seasons on the strength of their low glycaemic indicator and their anti-oxidant and nutrient content rather than any specific health claim.
