May 5, 2014

Changes Coming to Nutrition Labels Near You

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing updates to the “Nutrition Facts” label found on most food packages. The changes involve such things as:
  1. requiring information about “added sugars” and the amount of potassium and Vitamin D in food products;
  2. removing “Calories from Fat” but keeping “Total Fat,” “Saturated Fat,” and “Trans Fat” on the labels;
  3. requiring packaged food serving size, including drinks, to more accurately reflect how much people typically consume at a time; and
  4. revising the labels’ design to more prominently display things like calories and serving sizes.
The images below compare a current nutrition label (left) with one incorporating the proposed changes (right).

Images: US FDA

These changes are currently available for public review and comment in the Federal Register here and here. 
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