Greetings!!! My name is Dan Bucci and I am a Sodexo Dietetic Intern from the Allentown Campus. I participated in a National Nutrition Month Activity with a fellow intern, Meghan Scura, addressing some of the changes that the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) will be mandating on the new nutritional label. The changes include:
Making the Serving Size Font Bold- Comprehending a nutritional food can be difficult to the common consumer. Often times, people look only at the number of calories, without thinking about the serving size, which we know can be quite deceiving, depending on the product. So having the serving size bold will make it more prominent on the label for consumers to recognize.
Serving Size Updated- Manufacturers are going to have to make portion sizes more “realistic” based on typical consumer consumption patterns of certain foods. For example, some may say that eating ¼ cup of ice cream is not realistic given that the serving size will not satisfy the desire for dessert. If the serving size becomes ½ cup, it still may be a small serving to some, but will be more realistic to most. This will help consumers be more aware of their caloric intake if it reflects what they may actually eat.
Added Sugars- Currently the nutritional label shows “sugar” which can come from natural sugar or added sugar. This labeling change will help consumers identify which products have extra added sugar and which contain natural sugar.
Calories Larger Font- Hopefully a bigger font size with help consumers of all ages be able to read the total calories more effectively.
Nutrients Required and Amounts Declared- At this point the percentages associated with the Daily Values are based off of a 2,000-calorie diet, which is a fact that many consumers are unaware of. If you require more or less than 2,000 calories daily, these amounts may not apply to you. The new label will include the amounts of the vitamins and minerals in the food product so consumers can be more aware of the nutrient content of their food.
The FDA has already extended the compliance dates from July 26, 2018 to January 1, 2020, for manufacturers with ≥ $10 million in annual food sales. Manufacturers with < $10 million in annual food sales will receive an extra year to comply – until January 1, 2021. As nutrition educators it’s important that we stay up to date on FDA mandates as they are a primary organization involved in food safety and nutrition labeling. Keep your eyes open for the new food label, many companies have already started printing the new labels.
Serving Size Updated- Manufacturers are going to have to make portion sizes more “realistic” based on typical consumer consumption patterns of certain foods. For example, some may say that eating ¼ cup of ice cream is not realistic given that the serving size will not satisfy the desire for dessert. If the serving size becomes ½ cup, it still may be a small serving to some, but will be more realistic to most. This will help consumers be more aware of their caloric intake if it reflects what they may actually eat.
Added Sugars- Currently the nutritional label shows “sugar” which can come from natural sugar or added sugar. This labeling change will help consumers identify which products have extra added sugar and which contain natural sugar.
Calories Larger Font- Hopefully a bigger font size with help consumers of all ages be able to read the total calories more effectively.
Nutrients Required and Amounts Declared- At this point the percentages associated with the Daily Values are based off of a 2,000-calorie diet, which is a fact that many consumers are unaware of. If you require more or less than 2,000 calories daily, these amounts may not apply to you. The new label will include the amounts of the vitamins and minerals in the food product so consumers can be more aware of the nutrient content of their food.
The FDA has already extended the compliance dates from July 26, 2018 to January 1, 2020, for manufacturers with ≥ $10 million in annual food sales. Manufacturers with < $10 million in annual food sales will receive an extra year to comply – until January 1, 2021. As nutrition educators it’s important that we stay up to date on FDA mandates as they are a primary organization involved in food safety and nutrition labeling. Keep your eyes open for the new food label, many companies have already started printing the new labels.
