Washington, D.C.—The FDA has found credible evidence to support a qualified health claim that consuming oleic acid may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, according to astatementmade Monday.

Oleic acid is a monounsaturated fat found in olive oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, meat, cheese, eggs, and avocados, among other foods.

The FDA is allowing products to make a qualified health claim. The claim must state that the scientific evidence behind it is supportive but not conclusive, and that in order to provide any possible benefit, the oil containing the oleic acid must be replacing saturated fats, and it should not increase the total number of calories eaten in a day.

It must also state the dosage: 1.5 tablespoons of high-oleic oil per day. High oleic sunflower oil, high oleic safflower oil, high oleic canola oil, olive oil, and high oleic algal oil all have the necessary oleic oil content.

Qualified health claims are supported by credible scientific evidence, but they don’t have the significant scientific agreement required for an authorized health claim.

The health claim is in response to a petitionfiled by Corbion Biotech, Inc., which provided the scientific evidence necessary.