A family-owned egg farm filed a petition to the FDA last April in regard to the agency's definition of the word "healthy" when it comes to food labeling. So far, eggs are considered high in cholesterol and fats, while food items such as pudding are considered "healthy" because of supposed vitamin and nutrient content.

Egg Farm Petition On 'Healthy' Labels

Last April, the number 2 egg brand in the country, Pete and Gerry's Organic Eggs, sent a citizen's petition to the FDA regarding its current food labeling guidelines, particularly when it comes to using the term "healthy." In the petition, the company urges the commissioner to amend the current regulation for the term so that it is consistent with current scientific evidence and with the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

The petition calls for two things in particular. First, petitioners call for eggs to be allowed to bear the label "healthy" and, second, for the agency to amend the use of the term "healthy" so that eggs may be labeled as such even if they technically exceed the current cholesterol limits.

Under the current regulations, a food item may be labeled as healthy based on its nutrition content rather than its overall nutrition quality. For instance, low-fat pudding may be labeled "healthy" because it is high in calcium, potassium, and vitamin D, but eggs may not be labeled as such even if it is a good and affordable source of protein and nutrients.

"It's so antiquated and out of touch. The idea that a toaster pastry — a Pop Tart — is healthy or that Jell-O is healthy is crazy... We know we are shortchanging ourselves by not being able to say eggs are healthy," said Jesse Laflamme, CEO of Pete and Gerry's.

Food Labeling Issue

This is not the first time that the FDA has had issues with "healthy" food labeling. In 2015, the agency issued a warning on a food company that labeled their product as "healthy" even if it did not meet the agency's requirements to be labeled as such. The company argued then that their product, which uses nuts as a key ingredient, contains nutritious fats much like other healthy products that do not meet the criteria to be labeled "healthy" but are known to be good for the body, such as eggs and avocados.

The FDA eventually let the company use its original packaging, and by September 2016, the agency announced that it would be reevaluating its guidelines on the matter so as to help the public make healthier food choices.