When would a heart symbol on restaurant labeling be an implied health claim?
Whether a heart symbol is an implied health claim will depend on the context in which it is used. FDA advises that most of the perceptions about heart symbols fall under the regulatory regime of a health claim. For example, use of a heart symbol in association with a nutrient content claim (e.g., a claim about saturated fat or cholesterol) could imply that the food, because of its nutrient content, may be useful in reducing the risk of developing a disease or health-related condition, specifically, heart disease. Use of a heart symbol or similar logo in this context would trigger the health claims requirements that a food meet the definition of an approved claim, and that it bear nutrition labeling. Further, use of a heart symbol alone (i.e., in the absence of a statement explaining its use), could be misleading. Alternatively, when a symbol is clearly being used in a context other than to highlight nutrient or health-related benefits of a food (e.g., a heart symbol followed by a state
