US FDA to Propose Updates to Nutrition Facts Panel on Food Labels

April 9, 2014 - PRLog -- On 3 March 2014 the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) published a proposal to make changes to the Nutrition Facts panel on food labels (1) (2). These changes are the first since 2006 when the US FDA required the Trans Fat amount to be listed on the Nutrition Facts panel.

Proposed Changes to the Nutrition Facts Panel

The US FDA is proposing to replace out-of-date serving sizes and highlight specific parts of the Nutrition Facts panel such as calories and servings per container. Other changes will be to require the listing of added sugars, Vitamin D and Potassium. Dropping the requirements to list Calories from Fat, Vitamin A and Vitamin C. List the Percent Daily Value before the amounts of each nutrient and list the amount of each vitamin and mineral in addition to the Daily Values. Revise the daily values for sodium, dietary fiber and Vitamin D. Establish dual column nutritional fact to indicate per serving and per package for those larger packages that could be consumed in a single sitting. US FDA is proposing a new definition of a single serve container. A new footnote will be developed. New serving sizes or product categories or clarification of categories to the reference amount customarily consumed are being proposed. There will be clarification of rounding determination of servings per container.

Find an example of the proposed Nutrition Facts panel here (http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/LabelingNutrition/UCM387451.pdf).

The Comment Period for the proposal ends 2 June 2014. The effective date will be 60 days after the final rule is published and the compliance date will be 2 years after the effective date.

References:

(1) Federal Register - Food Labeling: Revision of the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels (https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2014/03/03/2014-04387/food-labeling-revision-of-the-nutrition-and-supplement-facts-labels )

(2) Federal Register - Food Labeling: Serving Sizes of Foods That Can Reasonably Be Consumed at One-Eating Occasion

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