Thecommonwealth Ofmassachusetts

TheCommonwealth ofMassachusetts

ExecutiveOfficeof HealthandHumanServices

DepartmentofPublic Health

250WashingtonStreet,Boston, MA02108-4619

DEVAL L. PATRICK

GOVERNOR

JOHNW.POLANOWICZ

SECRETARY

CHERYLBARTLETT,RN

COMMISSIONER

Tel: 617-624-5200

Fax:617-624-5206

August 14,2014

DearSuperintendent,

InJune2013,USDAreleased theNational SchoolLunchProgram andSchoolBreakfast Program: Nutrition Standardsfor AllFoodsSoldinSchool asRequired bytheHealthy, Hunger- FreeKidsActof2010Interim FinalRule,which setsminimum federalnutrition standards for competitive foodsandbeverages.

Following therelease ofthefederalregulations, theDepartment ofPublicHealth (DPHorthe Department) hasbeenreviewing theexisting Massachusetts standards forcompetitive foodsand beverages atlOSCMR22S.000toidentify opportunity foralignment withthefederal standards. Thisanalysishasincorporated feedback fromindustry experts, schoolnutrition personnel, and the Department ofElementary andSecondary Education. Because theexistingMassachusetts standards donotmeettheminimum federal standards inallcategories, wehaveproposedrevisions tothoseportions oftheregulations tomaketheDepartment's regulations consistentwiththeir federalcounterparts. Theproposed amendments totheMassachusetts regulations

werepresented tothePublic Health Council onAugust 13,2014. Thereisanopportunity for public comment ata publichearing onTuesday, September 9,2014at4pmaswellasinwriting untilSpm onFriday, September 12,2014. Pleasevisit regs/dph/proposed-regulations/schooI-nutrition-standards.html fordetails.

Recognizing thatthenewMassachusetts regulations arenotineffectbytheJuly 1,2014 federal deadline,DPHisissuingthisguidancetoaddress anyconflicting requirements between federal andstateregulations. Incaseswherethereisnotalignment, thestricterstandard shouldapply duringthetimeframe inwhich ourstateregulations aregoingthrough theamendment process. Specifically, schools shouldcontinuetocomplywithallprovisions oftheMassachusetts regulations withtheexception ofthefollowing fiveareasinwhichthefederalrulesaremore stringent thantheexisting stateregulations:

GeneralStandard (orCompetitive Foods

Tobeallowable, acompetitive fooditemmustmeetallproposed competitive foodnutrient standards and

• beagrainproduct thatcontains SO%ormorewholegrainsbyweight orhavewhole

grainsasthefirstingredient*;

or

•haveasthefirstingredient* oneofthenon-grain majorfoodgroups:fruits,vegetables, dairyorprotein foods(meat,beans,poultry, seafood, eggs,nuts,seeds,etc.);

or

• beacombination foodthatcontains 1;4 cupoffruitand/orvegetable;

or

•fortheperiodthrough June30,2016,contain 10%oftheDailyValue(DV)ofanaturally occurring nutrient ofpublichealthconcern (i.e.,calcium, potassium, vitamin Dordietary fiber).

*Ifwateristhefirstingredient, thesecondingredient mustbeoneoftheabove.

Exemptions:

• Fresh,frozenandcanned fruitsandvegetables withnoaddedingredients exceptwateror

100%juice; and

• Cannedvegetables thatcontain asmallamountofsugarforprocessing purposes.

Calories

Entreeitemssolda-la-carte mustcontainnomorethan350calories, including accompaniments, unlesstheymeettheexemption forNSLP/SBPentreeitems.

Accompaniments

Accompaniments mustbeincluded inthenutrientprofileaspartoftheitemservedtodetermine if anitemmeetsthenutrition standardsforcompetitive food.

Timing

Therequirements applyfrommidnight beforetheschooldaybeginsto30minutes afterthe officialschooldayends.

Milk

Low-fatmilkmustbeplain.

Weappreciate yourpatience aswemakeourexistingregulations consistent withthemostrecent federalrulesandofferthebestguidance topromote thehealth andwell-being ofourstudents. If youhaveanyquestions aboutthisguidance, please contactClaireSantarelli at or617-624-5422.

CherylBartlett, RN Commissioner