The release of the 2025 Scientific Report from the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) marks a pivotal moment in U.S. nutrition policy. As the foundational document for the upcoming 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), this report not only shapes federal nutrition recommendations but also sets the tone for public health messaging, product development, and scientific research in nutrition across the country.
We see this as a significant opportunity to align our science-backed solutions with national health priorities. Here’s what you need to know—and how our portfolio is uniquely positioned to support the evolving nutritional landscape.
Understanding the DGAC Report
The DGAC scientific report is the first major part of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) process. The DGAs are published by law jointly by the US Dept of Agriculture (USDA) and US Dept of Health and Human Services (HHS) every 5 years. And, by law, any federal publication that provides dietary guidelines must be consistent with the DGAs. It serves as a foundational document for nearly all technical audiences in the field of nutrition – from nutrition scientists to policy makers. Put simply, the final DGA report effectively determines “what is true” within the field of nutrition in the United States.
Afterwards, the USDA/HHS will review the recommendations and make their own final recommendations, which typically follow the DGAC report. It will then be released as the final 2025-2030 DGAs in late 2025.
Balchem’s Role in Addressing Nutrient Gaps
When evaluating the nutrient intakes of Americans, the DGAC report identifies two categories related to nutrient gaps:
- Nutrients and Foods Components of Public Health Concern: Nutrients and other dietary components that are overconsumed or underconsumed (compared to Dietary Reference Intake recommendations and biological measures of the nutrient when available) and linked in the scientific literature to adverse health outcomes in the general population or in a subpopulation.
- Nutrients and Food Components That Pose Special Challenges: Nutrients and other dietary components for which dietary guidance to meet recommended intake levels was challenging to develop, or identification of at-risk groups was difficult due to unavailability of dietary data or biological endpoints directly linked to adverse outcomes. These nutrients and food components should continue to be monitored.
A nutrient being placed on either list signifies the recognition of the nutrient gap (or excess) and potentially the public health concern consequence. These can also be specific to different age/gender/lifestage groups.
One of the major takeaways from the Committee was to “Encourage consumption of healthy dietary patterns and maintain existing guidance that emphasizes intakes of iron, folate/folic acid, …, and choline among individuals who are pregnant and postpartum.”
Our ingredients are directly aligned with many of the nutrients highlighted in the report particularly Ferrochel®, Optifolin+®, and VitaCholine®.
How Our Ingredients Support Public Health:
Choline— Supporting Brain and Cellular Health
Choline is recognized as a “Nutrient That Poses a Special Challenge” across all age groups, especially infants and adolescents. Choline remains under consumed despite its essential role in brain development and cellular function.
Solution: VitaCholine® enables manufacturers to fortify complementary foods and multivitamins, helping bridge the choline gap—especially for vegan consumers and those avoiding eggs.
Iron—
For Life Stages That Matter
Iron is a “Nutrient of Public Health Concern” for infants, adolescent females, women of childbearing age, and pregnant or lactating women.
Solution: Manufacturers need to balance including iron in prenatals to support maternal health, but also should be mindful not to include too much. Ferrous Bisglycinate, the chelated iron behind Ferrochel®, is highly bioavailable in pregnant women, with studies showing greater results at 1/3 the intake, while resulting in a 64% lower risk of GI upset.
Folate—
For Prenatal Health
Folate is essential for fetal development, yet many pregnant women fall short of recommended intake. Meanwhile, excessive folic acid intake raises concerns.
Solution: Optifolin+® delivers a bioactive form of folate that meets prenatal needs without the risks associated with synthetic folic acid—offering a safer, more effective solution for maternal health.
Looking Ahead: Science-Driven Innovation
The DGAC report reinforces the importance of evidence-based nutrition—and Balchem is ready to lead.
Our ingredients are well suited to address the needs identified in the prenatal nutrition space. Our portfolio addresses major nutrients to be emphasized for pregnant / postpartum women.
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From prenatal health to aging populations, our ingredients are designed to meet the needs of today’s consumers while supporting tomorrow’s health outcomes.
We’re committed to working with our partners to translate these insights into innovative, compliant, and impactful products.
Contact us or explore our product portfolio to see how we can help you bring science-backed nutrition to life.
