From The Packer, September 15, 2003

The National Cancer Institute recently added avocados to the list of products that can be promoted, in addition to allowing limited amounts of fat and sodium in fruit and vegetable products. Here is the updated list of promotable criteria from the NCI 5 a Day program:

1. All fresh fruits and vegetables, excluding coconuts and nuts.
2. All fruits and vegetables (except dried herbs, coconuts and nuts) processed by drying, freezing, or canning—including those with added ingredients—provided that:

• No sugars, sugar-containing ingredients, or sugar alcohols (e.g., sucrose, glucose, dextrose, fructose, maltose, lactose, sorbitol, mannitol, honey, corn syrup, corn syrup solids, or molasses) have been added.
• The fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium content per Food and Drug Administration reference amount and per labeled serving must meet the FDA qualifying limits for “healthy” foods that are as follows: fat, 3 grams; saturated fat, 1 gram, and 15% of calories from saturated fat; cholesterol, 60 milligrams; sodium, 360 milligrams.
• The food is not processed to the extent that it no longer resembles a fruit or vegetable, such as tofu, soy-based “hamburger” patties, popcorn or powders.

3. All meal or main dish products that contain at least one serving of fruit or vegetable per FDA reference amount, provided that:

• No sugars, sugar-containing ingredients, or sugar alcohols (e.g., sucrose, glucose, dextrose, fructose, maltose, lactose, sorbitol, mannitol, honey, corn syrup, corn syrup solids, or molasses) have been added.
• The fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium content per FDA reference amount and per labeled serving must meet the FDA qualifying limits for “healthy” foods that are as follows: fat, a maximum of 3 grams per 100 grams and 30% of calories from fat; saturated fat, 1 gram per 100 grams and 10% of calories from saturated fat; cholesterol, 90 milligrams per serving size; sodium, 600 milligrams.
• The ingredients that count toward the 5 a Day serving of fruit or vegetable are not processed to the extent that they no longer resemble a fruit or vegetable, such as tofu, soy-based “hamburger” patties, popcorn, or powders.

4. All juice products that are 100% juice or juice concentrate, without added fat or sugar, that meet the FDA “healthy food” qualifying level for sodium, which is 360 milligrams per FDA labeled serving size (8 ounces) and FDA reference amount (240 milliliters).

Source: National Cancer Institute