Oat, almond and other plant-based drinks can be labeled 'milk,' FDA proposes

Got plant-based milk?

Oat, soy, almond and other plant-based drinks can continue to call themselves "milk," according to draft guidelines released Wednesday by the Food and Drug Administration. 

Consumers understand that plant-based milk alternatives don't contain milk, and the word "milk" is "strongly rooted in consumers' vocabulary when describing and talking about plant-based alternatives," the FDA said.

The agency recommends that makers of alternative milk include a voluntary extra label that notes the nutritional difference between their product (labeled "milk") and dairy milk.

The draft rules aim to address the "significant increase" of plant-based milk alternatives in the market and give consumers the "information they need to make informed nutrition and purchasing decisions," FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf said in a statement. 

The guidance doesn't apply to other plant-based dairy alternatives like yogurt or cheese. 

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Mixed reactions to the draft guidance 

For years, the dairy industry has pushed the FDA to prohibit the labeling of plant-based products as "milk." And under the Trump administration, the FDA had signaled plans to crack down on the use of the term "milk" for nondairy products.

The National Milk Producers Federation welcomed the proposed voluntary nutrient statement on plant-based drinks but rejected the agency's conclusion that the beverages can be called milk by designating the word a "common and usual name." 

The Good Food Institute, which advocates for plant-based alternatives, said in a statement that "the guidance misguidedly admonishes companies to make a direct comparison" with cow’s milk, even though key nutrients already are required to be listed, referring to the additional nutrient label, The Associated Press reported.

Sens. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, and Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., said in a joint statement that the "misguided rule will hurt America’s dairy farmers and our rural communities." 

The FDA is taking comments on the draft guidance. 

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What is plant-based milk made of?

Plant-based drinks are made from plant sources, including grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, according to the FDA. 

The variety of plant-based beverages has expanded from soy, rice and almond to include cashew, coconut, hazelnut, macadamia, oat, pea, quinoa and walnut, the agency said. 

Plant-based beverages have grown in popularity in recent years. From 2016 to 2020, sales of plant-based milk alternatives rose from $1.5 billion to $2.4 billion, the FDA said.

Contributing: The Associated Press