The updated Nutrition Facts label “is going to make a real difference in providing families across the country the information they need to make healthy choices,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. The new label, to be in full use by July 2018, prominently lists the number of calories in a serving, expands serving sizes in line with U.S. eating patterns, and for the first time shows how many grams of sugar are added to foods during processing.
Introduced two decades ago, the Nutrition Facts label appears on 800,000 products. An estimated 77 percent of shoppers refer to the label when deciding whether to buy a food. The food industry will spend around $2 billion to revamp its packaging, said Politico. “The administration’s determination to stand its ground on added sugar labeling amid fierce opposition from business groups is a sign the first lady intends to bolster her already substantive food policy legacy in her final months in the East Wing.”
The Sugar Association, a trade group, said the FDA “arbitrarily selected from general dietary advice and science of low evidentiary value to support its proposal for ‘added’ sugars labeling and to set a DRV [daily recommended value].” The FDA says its recommendation of limiting sugar to 10 percent of the diet is consistent with the new edition of Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
“Because consumers could be confused by the new label with its numerous changes, a robust consumer education effort will be needed to ensure that people continue to understand how the revised label can be used to make informed choices and maintain healthful dietary practices,” said the Grocery Manufacturers Association. The trade group said foodmakers already are putting their own “Facts Up Front” nutrition labels on the front of packages.
FDA Commissioner Robert Califf said the updated Nutrition Facts label would help Americans make wise choices on food, “one of the most important steps a person can take to reduce the risk of heart disease and obesity.” Nearly 71 percent of adults are overweight or obese, says the CDC.