Sandy Procter, Kansas State University nutrition specialist, said she is looking forward to the changes.
“This change in the Nutrition Facts label is a long time coming,” Procter said. “We’re looking forward to having an improved source of information on food so consumers can make a wiser choices.”
Procter said that the new label will be easier to read, since the print will be larger. Now the number of calories per serving will jump out at consumers to make them more aware of how many calories a serving, or a full package, actually contains.
Added sugar is another item on the new food label. Currently, the label only shows how much total sugar is in the food, but this can be misleading.
“Many foods have natural sugar in them; case in point is milk,” Procter said. “The sugar in milk– lactose– is considered part of the total sugar, but it certainly isn’t sweetener that has been added to the product.”
Another example is orange juice. The new added sugar line under “Total Sugars” will help consumers easily see the difference between 100 percent fruit juice and sugary alternatives.
Along with changes in the way calories and sugar are listed on the label, the way vitamins are presented will change.
“Vitamin A and vitamin C are still important nutrients, but in the U.S., most of us get ample amounts of those in our diets,” Procter said. “So, those two nutrients are coming off the Nutrition Facts label and are being replaced by two that are identified in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020 as “nutrients of concern”– potassium and vitamin D.”
The changes aim to make it easier for consumers to decide what is a healthy choice for them. Putting more relevant information on the label and making it easier to read gives consumers a better idea of what is actually in the food.
“We know that obesity, diabetes and weight-related health problems are some of the most threatening that our country has to tackle,” Procter said. “Those public health problems need public health solutions, and this is a great step in helping the consumer to easily be able to make healthful decisions at the point of sale.”
These changes don’t go into effect immediately, however. Manufacturers are allowed a short time to make the necessary changes to their product labels.
“There are about two years until (the new labels) are enforced,” she said. “If a company has less than $10 million dollars in revenue, it may have a year longer than that. The change is not intended to be a burden on a company, so the changes are not mandated to happen overnight. I expect to see some companies move to these guidelines relatively soon though, because they’ve been proposed for quite a while now.”
It’s important to note that these changes do not apply to meat, poultry and processed egg products, Procter said, as the U.S. Department of Agriculture regulates those products.
For more information, see the explanation of the new regulations at the FDA website: http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/LabelingNutrition/ucm385663.htm.
Linda K. Beech is Ellis County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences.