Milk from plants: why soy, oat and almond drinks are allowed to be called milk

According to new project, soy, oat, almond and other drinks that are positioned as milk are entitled to use this name. Writes about it Yahoo!.

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Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials have issued guidance stating that plant-based drinks do not claim to be made from dairy products and that US consumers are not embarrassed by this.

Dairy manufacturers have for years urged the FDA to take action against plant-based drinks and other products that they say masquerade as animal products and obscure the true meaning of the word "milk."

Under the draft rules, the agency encourages beverage manufacturers to clearly label their products for a plant-based food source, such as "soy milk" or "cashew milk."

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The rules call for, among other things, voluntary labels that indicate when drinks contain lower levels of nutrients than dairy milk, such as calcium, magnesium or vitamin D.

Labels that indicate when plant-based drinks have higher levels of nutrients are still allowed. Fortified soy milk is the only plant-based product included in the dairy category under the US Dietary Guidelines due to its nutrient content.

The new guidelines aim to provide consumers with clear information, FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Kaliff said in a statement. The draft rules do not apply to non-dairy products other than beverages such as yogurt.

The National Dairy Federation, an industry trade group, welcomed the call for more nutritional information on beverage labels, but said it did not support the FDA's conclusion that plant-based beverages can be called milk.

The Good Nutrition Institute (a group advocating plant-based foods) objects to the additional labeling and says that "management mistakenly advises companies to make a direct comparison" with cow's milk.

In recent years, plant-based drinks have exploded to include dozens of varieties, including cashew, coconut, hemp, and quinoa-based drinks. Although drinks are made from liquid plant extracts, they are often labeled and described as "milk".

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In the US, almond milk is the most popular variety, but oat milk is showing the fastest growth. However, non-dairy sales are lagging behind traditional milk. Chilled cow's milk sales rose to $12,3 billion in the 52 weeks ended Jan. 28, compared with $2,5 billion for non-dairy milk, according to NielsenIQ.

Legislators in dairy states have tried in the past to pass bills that would require the FDA to enforce a federal standard that defines "milk" as the product of "the milking of one or more healthy cows."

The Office accepts comments on the draft new principles until April 23.

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