Remember back in early 2014 when the FDA proposed new Nutrition labels for our foods? The new labels promised to improve the serving sizes and readability on packaged food containers. Whatever happened with those changes? I wrote the FDA to find out.
Proposed Nutrition Label Changes
The proposed changes would:
- make serving sizes more realistic
- show added sugar, that is sugar not naturally occurring in the food
- be relevant for the most common health problems in the United States: diabetes, obesity, & heart disease
- show Vitamin D, now that vitamin D deficiency affects over a billion people worldwide
Comparing Labels Side by Side
The FDA’s Response
So where are these Nutrition label changes? I reached out to the FDA, since almost a year has passed since their call for comments.
Their response is below.
Dear Ms. Lanard,
The comment period for the proposed rules closed on August 1, 2014. We have reviewed all of the comments submitted to the docket and are in the process of drafting a final rule. We hope that the final rule will publish as soon as possible, but we can never say for sure when that will be until the document goes on display with the Federal Register because there are many layers or review and approval that have to occur before a final rule publishes, some of which are outside of the agency.
Please let us know if you have any additional questions.
Nutrition Programs Staff
Office of Nutrition, Labeling, and Dietary Supplements
FDA, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
This is definitely promising. Let’s hope that the Final Rule comes soon and the proposed design remains intact. When finalized, food manufacturers will then have an additional 2+ years to comply and change their labeling.
What do you think?
Do you like the new label? Do you think it’s an improvement? Leave us a comment.
