FDA Commissioner Questions Milk Standards Enforcement

At a speaking engagement, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb reportedly expressed that the agency’s standards of identity for milk have not been enforced. According to the standard of identity, milk is “the lacteal secretion, practically free from colostrum, obtained by the complete milking of one or more healthy cows,” a definition that does not include non-dairy beverages produced from almonds, soy, rice or coconuts that are labeled as milk. Admitting that “an almond doesn’t lactate,” Gottlieb reportedly indicated that FDA will begin collecting public comments before determining its approach to the issue.