Use of Fruits & Veggies - More Matters™ on products & recipes
The following nutritional criteria define which fruit and vegetable products and recipes may feature the
Fruits & Veggies - More Matters™ logo on packaging, on marketing materials, with recipes, and in any other efforts where specific fruit and vegetable products are promoted. These standards are set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the leading public health authority for the Fruits & Veggies - More Matters™ brand, to ensure products and recipes promoting the brand offer an overall healthy nutrient profile.
CRITERIA
All forms of fruits and vegetables (fresh, frozen, canned, dried, and 100% juice) are included under the Fruits & Veggies - More Matters™ product and recipe criteria.
1. All fruits and vegetables with only water added (e.g., all fresh fruits and vegetables or canned fruit with only water added)
2. Processed fruit and vegetable products (frozen, canned, dried, fresh-cut and 100% juice) provided that:
a. One portion of product must contain at least one serving of fruit or vegetable. One serving of fruit or vegetable is defined as:
one medium piece of fruit
1/2 cup cut-up raw or cooked (fresh, frozen, or canned) fruit or vegetables
1/2 cup cooked, dry peas or beans (e.g., lentils, kidney beans)
1 cup leafy salad greens
1/4 cup dried fruit
4 oz. (1/2 cup) 100% fruit or vegetable juice
b. Each serving of product must contain limited amounts of added sugars or caloric sweeteners:
Added sweeteners ≤8 calories per serving (e.g., ≤1/2 tsp. sucrose or equivalent amount of other sweetener).
Concentrated fruit juice sweeteners, jams, and jellies count as added sugars.
c. Each serving of product must contain limited amounts of fat:
- Total fat ≤3g per serving.
- Saturated fat is <10% of calories.
- Trans fat is <0.5g per serving.
- The fat found naturally in fruits and vegetables does not contribute to the limits above.
- Further, ≤1/4oz. of nuts is allowed per serving without their fat content contributing to these restrictions. Nuts must be in their natural form without anything added or removed (e.g., no added oils, removed oils, added sodium, or added sugars).
d. Each serving of product must contain ≤480mg per serving of sodium.
e. Each serving of product must offer ≥0.014g/kcal of naturally occurring fiber (28g of fiber/2000 calories).
f. All juice products must be 100% juice, low sodium (≤70 mg sodium per 4oz. serving), and contain no added fat or sugar.
g. Processed products cannot be fortified beyond the FDA standards and their policy for food enrichment and fortification (e.g., enriched grain products, vitamins A & D in milk, and iodine in salt) and cannot be enhanced with dietary supplements or be sold as supplements. This does not include vitamins and minerals used as a food preservative (e.g., ascorbic acid and calcium carbonate on sliced fruit.)
3. Recipes, meal products*, and main dish products**
a. Each serving of food must contain at least one serving of fruit or vegetable per 250 calories, when prepared as directed.
b. Each serving of food must contain limited amounts of added sugars or caloric sweeteners:
- Added sugars cannot exceed 15% of total calories.
- Concentrated fruit juice sweeteners, jams, and jellies count as added sugars.
c. Each serving of food must contain limited amounts of fat:
- Total fat ≤35% of total calories.
- Saturated fat is <10% of calories.
- Trans fat is <0.5g per serving.
- The fat found naturally in fruits and vegetables does not contribute to the limits above. Further, ≤1/4oz. of nuts is allowed per serving without their fat content contributing to these restrictions. Nuts must be in their natural form without anything added or removed (e.g., no added oils, removed oils, added sodium, or added sugars).
d. Each serving of food must contain ≤600 mg per serving of sodium.
e. Each serving of food must offer ≥0.014g/kcal naturally occurring fiber (28g of fiber/2000 calories).
f. Processed products cannot be fortified beyond the FDA standards and their policy for food enrichment and fortification (e.g., enriched grain products, vitamins A & D in milk, and iodine in salt) and cannot be enhanced with dietary supplements or be sold as supplements. This does not include vitamins and minerals used as a food preservative (e.g., ascorbic acid and calcium carbonate on sliced fruit.)
NOTE: Acceptable recipes can also be found on www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org beginning March 2007.
*Meal products. A meal product is defined as a food that makes a major contribution to the total diet by (1) weighing at least 10 oz. per labeled serving; and (2) containing not less than 40 grams for each of at least 3 different foods from 2 or more of the following 4 food groups: a. bread, cereal, rice, and pasta group; b. fruits and vegetables group; c. milk, yogurt, and cheese group; d. meat poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts group; (these foods shall not be sauces [except for foods in the above four food groups that are in the sauces], gravies, condiments, relishes, pickles, olives, jams, jellies, syrups, breadings or garnishes). The meal product should also be represented as, or is in a form commonly understood to be, a breakfast, lunch, dinner, or meal. Such representations may be made either by statements, photographs, or vignettes.
**Main dish products. A main dish product is defined as a food that makes a major contribution to a meal by (1) weighing at least 6 oz. per labeled serving; and (2) containing not less than 40 g of foods or food mixtures from two of the four food groups noted above; and is represented as, or is in a form commonly understood to be, a main dish. Such representations may be made either by statements, photographs, or vignettes.
The CDC used the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, the Food and Drug Administration’s labeling definitions, and U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Guide serving sizes to create these criteria.
Nutritional analysis must be conducted using “The Food ProcessorSQL” Version 9.8.1
Need help? For assistance in determining whether your product or recipe qualifies or other criteria questions, contact PBH’s
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