The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recognized tea made from the Camellia sinensis plant as a nutritious beverage, which has delighted the indian Tea Association (ITA) and the North Eastern Tea Association (NETA). This statement, which highlights the many health advantages of tea, has been heralded as a historic moment for the worldwide tea business.

To assist customers in identifying goods that follow dietary guidelines, the FDA released a final regulation on december 19 that updated the "healthy" nutrient content claim. This update has included tea manufactured from Camellia sinensis to the list of beverages that qualify for the "healthy" designation.
 
"Fantastic news" for the worldwide tea industry, according to Peter F. Goggi, president of the Tea Association of the USA. He emphasized the important ramifications of this judgment for the industry's capacity to promote tea as a beverage that promotes health.
 
Bidyananda Borkakoty, a former vice-chairman of the Tea Board of india and NETA adviser, had similar views. "The FDA's acknowledgment makes us very happy. Numerous studies conducted globally have emphasized the health advantages of tea consumption. We want the indian government to advertise tea as a beverage that promotes wellbeing and a healthy lifestyle," he stated.
 
The FDA previously acknowledged Camellia sinensis in a response to a petition on the link between green tea and certain malignancies, according to the FDA statement that NETA provided. The government did clarify, though, that it does not apply the "healthy" claim to herbal teas manufactured from other plants, including butterfly pea flower, hibiscus, chamomile, peppermint, ginger, lavender, or masala tea.
 
"We don't yet have enough data to say whether herbal infusions should be automatically eligible for the 'healthy' claim. Therefore, we automatically qualify tea made from Camellia sinensis for the 'healthy' claim, but not herbal infusions," the FDA said.
 
The oldest association of tea growers in the nation, the ITA, hailed the FDA's ruling as a significant step forward for the sector. The group said in a statement released on friday that the designation is consistent with an increasing amount of scientific data that shows tea's health advantages.
 
"The indian Tea Association is pleased that the US FDA has issued a final rule updating the 'healthy' nutrient content claim, which now includes tea as an officially recognised 'healthy' beverage. This significant development allows manufacturers to voluntarily label tea products with the 'healthy' claim, provided they meet the updated criteria," the ITA said.

The association highlighted the FDA's Executive Summary, which noted that beverages such as water, tea, and coffee containing fewer than five calories per Reference Amount Customarily Consumed (RACC) and per labelled serving automatically qualify for the "healthy" designation.

 
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22/12/2024 10:01 AM