For decades, Nutella, the hazelnut-cocoa spread, has been classified by FDA as a dessert topping. Now its producer, Ferrero, is petitioning the government to put it in the same class as jam, which would cut its serving size — and calorie count — in half, to one tablespoon and 100 calories, says Stat, the medical news site.
Ferrero says 60 percent of consumers slather the creamy spread on toast, a very jam-like usage and very different from a 1991 survey that found the leading use, at 27 percent, was on ice cream. The serving size that appears on Nutella jars is 2 tablespoons with 200 calories, half from fat and including 21 grams of sugar. “The company wants that serving size changed to 1 tablespoon, as is the case with jams and jellies,” says Stat.
“The FDA said it recognizes the need for a sweet new category and is taking the first step by inviting public comment” through Jan 3, said Stat. Ferrero says an alternative to the jam and jelly category would be a new listing for nut cocoa-based spreads.