Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-06-20
Vitdmin, Food
Reform Plan
Urged bYU. 5.
By WILLIAM GRIGG
Star staff Writer


New Federal regulations de-
signed to reform the vitamin
and dietetic food industries.
were proposed today by the
Food and Drug Administration.
| The regulations would prac-
tically eliminate the manufac-
ure of cle-building" pro-
elm tablets, super" vitamins
nd some so-called reducing
pods.
The would limit to eight the
number Of vitamins that a
manufacturer can claim as use
ful. and the number of min
erals to four.
They would destroy the i'm
plication that eating some
preparations can cause weight
reduction without dieting by
requiring this label on reduc-
ing foods: Useful only when
used as a part Of a calorie-
controlled diet"
They would establish defini-
tons for mon fattening, "1ow-
calorie" and lower in calories"
claims and would limit the use
of artificial sweeteners.
Published Today
And they would prevent
manufacturers from claiming
their products have more than
roughly twice the human daily
requirement for any vitamin
or mineral.
The Food and Drug Admin
istfation published its propos-
ais today in the Federal Regis
ter. They are sure to raise a
storm Of protest from vitamin
and special food manufactur-
ersl who have so days to COM
ment on the proposed regula-
tions.
FDA then will analyze the
comments and perhaps sched-
ule a public hearing. Then
some notifications of the pro-
poSals may be made before they
go fnto force at an unspecified
da@.
Wnder the proposed regula-
TOPS. manufacturers of Shot
gun" vitamin-mineral prepara-
tions would be curtailed in sew
erA ways:
The title. minimum daily
requirements" for six impor-
TAM vitamins and four min
erals would be changed to
daily requirement" The re-
quirement levels, established
years ago by the Federal Gov
era1ment, never have represent
ed the least a human can get
by on but always the total
amounts that the average hui
man needs.
Only Enough
2. Manufacturers would be
barred from implying that
their products contain useful
amounts of these vitamins and
minerals unless they provide
roughly half the daily require
ment in daily dose.
q. Manufacturers could not
claim that a daily dose pro-
vfded more than about twice
the daily requirements of any,
OF these six vitamins and four
minerals. (This, in effect, dis
courages the manufacturer of
super" vitamins, which FDA
says are useless and sometimes
harmful.)
4. Aside from the six vita
minis. the four minerals and
two other vitamins, Biz and
Br6, no vitamins would be rec
ognized by the regulations as
useful in food supplements. No
manufacturer would be able to
imply value to any of the
oehers = a severe restriction
aRned at tablets. capsules and
pewders now being sold that
contain so to rs ingredients.
sAmong the vitmins FDA says
are useless in supplement are
several needed by the body but
SO generally aviIable in foods
that almost any diet would pro-
" de them in abundance. These
ATE:
Vitamins K and E, folio acid.
psntothenic acid, linoleic acid
g vegetable fat, copper, mag
nfsium, manganese, zinc, So
dunn and potassium.
Ralph F. Kneeland, deputy
director of the Division of Ad-
vtsory Opinions of the FDA Bu-
rsau Of Enforcement, prepared
tie new regulations, the first
overhaul of nutrition regula-
tons since 1871.
The new rules would not af-
feet the use of prescription vi
tAmins in the treatment of
Specific diseases.