New Rules for the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels (Part 2)

You Are What You Eat: New Nutrition Facts Labels Will Tell You How Much

Many dietitians believe the upcoming Nutrition Facts Label makeover will reflect a more realistic serving size and address the growing problem of the high rate of sugar intake in the U.S. population.

The new panel will most likely include a separate line for "Added Sugar" to help distinguish between the sugars that are naturally found in food, as opposed to the refined sugars added to processed food. Consumers will clearly be able to see the effect "High Fructose Corn Syrup" has on making their “fruit” drink so tasty.

On a serious note, obesity and Type 2 Diabetes are reaching epidemic proportions in America. One goal of the label modification is to make Americans more aware of the quantity of added sugar they consume, so hopefully they will consume less.

This is in keeping with the strategy behind the original Nutrition Facts Labels, mandated by Congress in 1990. Consumers became more aware of what went into their food. One result was the reduction of artery-damaging "Trans Fats," now all but gone from processed food.

Additional tweaking will include shifting the "Percent Daily Value (% DV)" to the left side of the label. The goal: Quick identification of the % DV you are receiving of the nutrients and other ingredients in the food you are eating.

Manufacturers will also be required to declare the amount of Potassium and Vitamin D (nutrients considered to be of “public health significance”) the product contains. Why? Most likely we aren’t getting enough of these beneficial nutrients.

For those who are in the industry, it’s never too early to begin planning for these proposed changes. What steps will your company need to take in order to implement the new design? If you need guidance or advice, ConceptuaLine is here to help!