October 29, 2018
The Nutrition Facts label on pre-packaged food has gotten a little makeover, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Changes to the label, which includes calorie count, protein amount and fat levels, were made due to updated scientific findings. “These changes can help you make better-informed choices about the foods you and your family eat and help you maintain a healthy diet,” the FDA claims.
According to the FDA release, consumers will notice six differences on the new labels, reflecting FDA’s greater understanding of how diet and chronic disease relate, and a more realistic approach to how people eat today (like using 2,000 calories per day as a reference number, not one-size-fits-all recommendation).
The first thing you’ll notice is that the calorie count and serving size suggestion are printed in a larger and bolded font to help those counting calories. The FDA is required to base serving sizes on what people actually eat and drink, so serving size requirements have been adjusted to reflect more up-to-date consumption data. You’ll also see that added sugars are actually listed and calories from fat are not.
See the changes for yourself in the side-by-side image below, or read more about it here.
Manufacturers with $10 million or more in annual food sales have until 2020 before the new label is required on their packaging, and manufacturers with less than $10 million in annual food sales will have until 2021.
Pre-deadlines, both labels are likely to be seen on different products lining grocery store shelves.
