FDA Rules Barley Products Can Make Healthy Heart Claims

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ruled that makers of whole grain barley and barley-containing products will be allowed to claim that those products reduce the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD).

According to the FDA, consumers can expect to see whole barley and dry milled barley products such as flakes, grits, flour, meal, and barley meal bearing the health claim. An example of the health claim that may be used is:

"Soluble fiber from foods such as [name of food], as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. A serving of [name of food] supplies [x] grams of the soluble fiber necessary per day to have this effect."

To qualify for the health claim, the barley-containing foods must provide at least 0.75 grams of soluble fiber per serving of the food.

CHD is the cause of almost 500,000 deaths annually, according to the National Institutes of Health. For more information on CHD, see What Is Coronary Heart Disease?

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