Nutrition Facts
Fact is, pretty soon the food label is going to change
In 2014 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released proposals for updating the Nutrition Facts label. Two proposed rules focus on content while the third recommendation is for a refreshed design.
Some may remember what “Nutrition Information” looked like back in the 80’s; my memory of it is vague but I do recall “Nutrition Facts” showing up on food packages and learning how to interpret and teach it over 20 years ago. Little has changed on the food label since then, the notable exception being the required inclusion of “trans fats” in 2006.
So, what are these rules and what may the new label look like?
The first proposed rule came about because of a greater understanding of nutrition science in the past 2 decades. One aspect of this is the concern about added sugars in the diet. The proposal takes into account new data and research and would require a separate line for “Added Sugars” under “Sugars” to help differentiate between naturally occurring sugar and added sweeteners because added sugars offer no additional nutrient value and are considered “empty calories”. Conversely, the sugar in dairy milk, fruits, and some vegetables are bound with vital nutrients like calcium, fiber, and vitamins and must be included in a healthy diet.
Nutrition research has also led to proposed changes in the nutrients of public health significance which are listed on every food label. These are nutrients that Americans typically do not get enough of. Currently listed are calcium, iron, vitamin A and vitamin C. New data reveal that vitamin A and C deficiencies are now uncommon but some population groups are not consuming enough potassium and vitamin D. It is proposed that potassium and vitamin D be added to calcium and iron on the label and that all four of these have declaration of the amount of these nutrients in milligrams or micrograms as appropriate.
Finally, it was proposed that the daily value for sodium be reduced to 2300 mg, the tolerable upper intake level as established by the Institute of Medicine (IOM). Some individuals would benefit from even lower intake; however data is insufficient for a greater reduction in sodium limits to be proposed at this time.
The second proposal relates to serving sizes of foods. By law, the information about serving sizes on food labels must align with what consumers actually eat, not what they should eat. For better or for worse, we eat different amounts of foods today than we did 20 years ago. If a package of a food, such as a 20 ounce bottle of soda, is typically consumed by one person at one sitting, than the label must provide information for the entire product. Foods which may be eaten all at once or in multiple sittings, like a pint of ice cream will require dual column labels to indicate “per serving” and “per package” nutrient values.
Additionally, there is a proposal to change the appearance of the label. While the overall look will remain the same, some parts, like the calorie content and servings per container will be in a larger font and bolder in appearance. The label will no longer say “amount per serving” but will be more specific with “amount per ___” with the blank filled in with a common household measurement or specific number of items (such as ½ cup or 4 pretzels). While there are no details yet, proposed updates are also in the works to better explain the footnote and the Percent Daily Value to increase consumers’ understanding. Hopefully it will also help make it easier for health professionals to explain it to consumers as well!
We should soon hear about the final rule on these proposals and see these updates before the end of 2015. However, manufacturers will have until the end of 2018 to completely change to the new label.
Reference: www.fda.gov accessed 2/11/15