WIC Food Package
How
do I get a food evaluated for WIC eligibility?
It is the WIC State agency’s responsibility to
identify foods which are acceptable for use in its WIC Program in
accordance with Federal WIC regulations 7 CFR Part 246.10.
In addition, WIC-eligible
food products must comply with all applicable Federal, State, and local
laws and regulations governing these products.
Manufacturers may
submit product information to WIC State
agencies.
The following guidelines provide the general type of information
needed by the State agency in order to determine WIC-eligibility status.
WIC State agencies may request additional information consistent
with their State-specific WIC food criteria.
Manufacturers that request WIC State agencies to include their
products on State-approved WIC food lists have a responsibility to inform
those State agencies about any changes in the products’ formulation or
nutritional value. A State agency does not have
to approve all foods that meet WIC eligibility requirements.
Information Needed for Determining
WIC-Eligible Foods
Information
Needed for Determining WIC-Eligible Formulas
Ø
Copies of actual package
flats or labels for the product. For
those foods which must comply with the Nutrition Labeling and Education
Act of 1990 and relevant Food and Drug Administration (FDA) labeling
regulations (21 CFR Parts 100-169), include copies of the Nutrition Facts
panels.
Ø
Nutrient profiles for the
product, in the form as sold or at standard dilution (if relevant),
expressed in metric measurements in accordance with applicable Federal WIC
regulations (7 CFR Part 246.10).
Ø
Ingredients of the product,
listed in decreasing order of predominance by weight.
Ø
Include written verification
that the product meets Federal WIC requirements.
For example, is the juice 100% fruit/vegetable juice, what is the
vitamin C fortification level in milligrams per 100 milliliters?
Ø
Copies of product
literature, if available, providing additional details about the
development and/or intended use of the product, such as brochures or
monographs.
Ø
Available forms of the
product.
Ø
Types and sizes of all
product package containers.
Ø
Average/suggested retail
prices for the product per container size.
Ø
Date when the product will
be available on the market, if it is a new item.
Ø
Expected or current
geographic and store distribution of the product (e.g., confirmation that
the product is or will be available nationally or just in certain states
or regions of the United States and its territories and a list of the
major chain stores that will sell or currently sell the product).
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Manufacturer
Information
Ø
Precise
brand name of the product, including the name of the manufacturer.
Ø
Name and phone number of the
manufacturer representative who the WIC State agency should contact to
purchase the product directly from the manufacturer.
Product Description
Ø
Whether
the product is intended for enteral digestion and whether if can be used
as both an oral and tube feeding.
Ø
Whether the product is
nutritionally complete, not requiring the addition of any ingredients
other than water before being served in a liquid state.
Ø
Product labels for each
physical form, flavor, and variety of the product, which should include an
ingredient listing.
Ø
Nutrient composition of each
physical form, flavor, and variety of product, including caloric content. (The
following should be confirmed in writing for the product at standard
dilution: iron content in
terms of milligrams per liter of formula; and the calorie content in terms
of kilocalories per 100 milliliters of formula.)
Ø
Yield (e.g., total fluid
ounces), as consumed, per container of product.
Ø
Product literature
describing: the product’s
special characteristics; how the product should be prepared/served;
intended uses of the product, including identification of the types of
medical conditions for which the product was designed.
Ø
Copies of the correspondence
FDA sent to the manufacturer confirming:
how the product is classified by FDA (i.e., infant formula or
exempt infant formula); that the product complies with the Infant Formula
Act of 1980, as amended, and that FDA does not object to the product being
marketed in the U.S.; and whether there are any outstanding concerns FDA
has about the product information under review (e.g., product claims or
label format).
Physical
Form
Ø
Identification of the
different product container sizes, types, and packaging.
Ø
Whether the product is sold
in single units versus multiple-packs or cases.
Availability
Ø
Whether the product is
available nationally or only in certain geographic areas.
Ø
Where the product is
available (e.g., from pharmacies, grocery stores, or directly from the
manufacturer).
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