Food Label: Good Reading For Good Eating : Part 2

by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

(Page 2 of 3)

Developing a New Label

The effort got under way in 1989, when FDA published an advance notice of proposed rule-making and, with FSIS, held nationwide hearings to find out what consumers, food manufacturers, and health professionals wanted on the food label.

Early in 1990, FDA began publishing proposals for new food labeling regulations that would, among other things, mandate nutrition labeling for almost all processed foods, limit health claims, establish reference Daily Values for certain nutrients, and define serving sizes.

Later that year, the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) became law, mandating numerous changes in food labeling. (The law does not cover meat and poultry products.)

NLEA resembles FDA's 1990 proposals in many ways. For example, it mandates nutrition labeling for almost all processed foods regulated by FDA and authorizes appropriate health claims on the labels of such products. It goes one step further by calling for activities to educate consumers about nutrition information on the label and the importance of using that information in maintaining healthful dietary practices.

According to John Vanderveen, Ph.D., director of FDA's Office of Plant and Dairy Foods and Beverages, the law makes the United States the first country in the world to have mandatory nutrition labeling and to allow health claims on food labels. "We've been pioneers," he said.

In November 1991, FDA announced proposals to implement many of the law's provisions. At the same time, FSIS issued parallel proposed regulations for meat and poultry.

Both agencies reviewed tens of thousands of public comments on the proposals before publishing the final regulations in the Jan. 6, 1993, Federal Register.

As allowed under NLEA, FDA delayed the date by which manufacturers must comply with the nutrition labeling and nutrient content claims provisions of NLEA by one year from the statutory effective date of May 8, 1993. FDA found that the earlier date would cause "undue economic hardship" on industry. FSIS postponed implementation of its regulations until July 1994 for the same reason.

However, consumers may start to see new labels this year, if, as expected, manufacturers seek to make their products among the first with the new food label.

Briefly, here is what consumers can expect to see:

Mandatory Nutrition Labeling

About 90 percent of processed food will carry nutrition information. Among the exemptions will be plain coffee and tea; some spices, flavorings and other foods that contain no significant amounts of nutrients; ready-to-eat food prepared primarily on site, such as deli and bakery items; restaurant food; bulk food that is not resold; and food produced by small businesses. (As required under NLEA, FDA defines a small business as one with food sales of less than $50,000 a year or total sales of less than $500,000. FSIS defines a small business as one that employs 500 or fewer people and produces no more than a certain poundage of product.)

Foods in small packages (generally those no larger than a package of Life Savers, or meat and poultry products less than one- half ounce) do not have to have the nutrition information on their labels unless they make a nutrition claim. However, FDA-regulated products must carry a telephone number or address that consumers can use to obtain the required nutrition information.

Nutrition information is voluntary for many raw foods: the 20 most frequently eaten raw fruits, vegetables and fish, under FDA's voluntary point-of-purchase nutrition information program, and the 45 major cuts of meat and poultry, under USDA's voluntary point-of- purchase program.

Although voluntary, the programs for raw produce, meat, fish, and poultry carry strong incentives for retailers to participate. Guidelines state that if voluntary compliance is found to be insufficient, the agencies may move to make it mandatory.

About the Author

www.fda.gov
FDA is A United States government body that oversees medical devices, including contact lenses, intraocular lenses, excimer lasers and eyedrops. In the US, these products must be approved by the FDA before they can be marketed.