Food Labeling: Health Claims; Oats and Coronary Heart Disease

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing to authorize the use, on food labels and in food labeling, of health claims on the association between oat products, i.e., oat bran and oatmeal, and reduced risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). FDA is proposing this action in response to a petition filed by the Quaker Oats Co. (the petitioner). The agency has tentatively concluded that, based on the totality of publicly available scientific evidence, diets high in oatmeal and oat bran and low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of CHD.