The term “healthy,” or any other derivative of the term “health,” may be used on the labeling of any meat or meat food product, provided that the product is labeled in accordance with § 317.309 and § 317.313.

The product shall meet the requirements for “low fat” and “low saturated fat,” as defined in § 317.362, except that single-ingredient, raw products may meet the total fat and saturated fat criteria for “extra lean” in § 317.362.

The product shall not contain more than 60 milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per reference amount customarily consumed, per labeled serving size, and, only for foods with reference amounts customarily consumed of 30 grams (g) or less or 2 tablespoons (tbsp) or less, per 50 g, and, for dehydrated products that must be reconstituted with water or a diluent containing an insignificant amount, as defined in § 317.309(f)(1), of all nutrients, the per-50-g criterion refers to the prepared form, except that:

A main-dish product, as defined in § 317.313(m), and a meal-type product, as defined in § 317.313(l), and including meal-type products that weigh more than 12 ounces (oz) per serving (container), shall not contain more than 90 mg of cholesterol per labeled serving size; and

Single-ingredient, raw products may meet the cholesterol criterion for “extra lean”in § 317.362.

The product shall not contain more than 480 mg of sodium per reference amount customarily consumed, per labeled serving size, and, only for foods with reference amounts customarily consumed of 30 g or less or 2 tbsp or less, per 50 g, and, for dehydrated products that must be reconstituted with water or a diluent containing an insignificant amount, as defined in § 317.309(f)(1), of all nutrients, the per-50-g criterion refers to the prepared form, except that:

A main-dish product, as defined in § 317.313(m), and a meal-type product, as defined in § 317.313(l), and including meal-type products that weigh more than 12 oz per serving (container), shall not contain more than 600 mg of sodium per labeled serving size;1 and

1 This regulation previously provided that, after January 1, 2006, individual meat products bearing the claim “healthy” (or any derivative of the term “health”) must contain no more than 360 mg of sodium and that meal-type products bearing the claim “healthy” (or any other derivative of the term “health”) must contain no more than 600 mg of sodium. Implementation of these sodium level requirements for products bearing the claim “healthy” (or any derivative of the term “health”) has been deferred indefinitely due to technological barriers and consumer preferences.

The requirements of this paragraph (b)(3) do not apply to single-ingredient, raw products.

The product shall contain 10 percent or more of the Reference Daily Intake or Daily Reference Value as defined in § 317.309 for vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, calcium, protein, or fiber per reference amount customarily consumed prior to any nutrient addition, except that:

A main-dish product, as defined in § 317.313(m), and including main-dish products that weigh less than 10 oz per serving (container), shall meet the level for two of the nutrients per labeled serving size; and

A meal-type product, as defined in § 317.313(l), shall meet the level for three of the nutrients per labeled serving size.