FDA Finalizes Improved Nutrition Facts Label

JUNE 7, 2016

The FDA has finalized a new and improved nutrition facts label for packaged food products sold in the US with the goal of helping consumers make informed decisions about their food choices. Most food manufacturers will be required to use the new label by July 26, 2018. The new Nutrition Facts label will include:

• An updated design to highlight “calories” and “servings,” two important elements in making informed food choices.

• Requirements for serving sizes that more closely reflect the amounts of food that people currently eat. What and how much people eat and drink has changed since the last serving size requirements were published in 1993. By law, the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act, requires that serving sizes be based on what people actually eat.

• Declaration of grams and a percent daily value (%DV) for “added sugars” to help consumers know how much sugar has been added to the product.

• “Dual column” labels to indicate both “per serving” and “per package” calorie and nutrition information for certain multi-serving food products that could be consumed in one sitting or multiple sittings.

• For packages that are between one and two servings, such as a 20 ounce soda, the calories and other nutrients will be required to be labeled as one serving because people typically consume it in one sitting.

• Updated daily values for nutrients like sodium, dietary fiber and vitamin D, consistent with Institute of Medicine recommendations and the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Daily values are reference amounts of nutrients to consume or not to exceed and are used to calculate the %DV that manufacturers include on the label.

• Declaration of vitamin D and potassium that will include the actual gram amount, in addition to the %DV. The %DV for calcium and iron will continue to be required, along with the actual gram amount. Vitamins A and C will no longer be required because deficiencies of these vitamins are rare, but these nutrients can be included on a voluntary basis.

• “Calories from Fat” will be removed because research shows the type of fat is more important than the amount. “Total Fat,” “Saturated Fat,” and “Trans Fat” will continue to be required.

• An abbreviated footnote to better explain the %DV.

The FDA is also making minor changes to the Supplement Facts label found on dietary supplements to make it consistent with the Nutrition Facts label.

Citation: FDA modernizes nutrition facts label for packaged foods. [news release]. FDA Web site. May 20, 2016. www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm502182.htm. Accessed May 28, 2016.

Commentary: The updated food label requirements should make it easier for all of us to understand the nutritional value, as well as unhealthy aspects, of the food we eat. It has always seemed deceiving to have the caloric content of a single serving listed in a container which has two to three servings of a snack I buy to eat. The new food labels should make it easier for us all to adhere to our nutritional goals, and to know when what we are eating is not consistent with our goals. What will then remain is to understand what our nutritional goals should be and remain motivated to stick with them. —Neil Skolnik, MD