Nutrition Facts label gets redesign

The FDA has finalized the new Nutrition Facts label for packaged foods.

The label had not been significantly updated since its initial release twenty years ago, a White House press release said. The label’s redesign reflects new scientific information, including the link between diet and chronic diseases such as obesity and heart disease, the FDA said.

The major changes to the Nutrition Facts label include:

• A more prominent display of “calories,” “servings,” and “servings per container” that drives consumers’ attention to these important elements when making informed food choices.
• Requirements for declaring the amount of “Added Sugars” in a food product.
• Updated serving size requirements to reflect the amounts people currently eat.
• “Dual column” labels to highlight both “per serving” and “per package” calorie and nutrition information for the whole package of certain food products.
• An abbreviated footnote better explaining percent Daily Value.
• An updated list of nutrients required to be declared based off of public health significance. Vitamin D and potassium — nutrients Americans often do not get enough of — will be required. Calcium and iron will continue to be required.  Vitamins A and C are no longer required but can be included on a voluntary basis.

Manufacturers will need to use the new label by July 26, 2018. However, manufacturers with less than $10 million in annual food sales will have an additional year to comply.

For more information about changes to the Nutrition Facts label, visit the FDA website.