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New Food Labels – it only took 4 years…
It took 4 years, but the new food labels are rolling out on store shelves. Back in May of 2016, the Federal Drug & Safety Administration (FDA) published final rules on a new Nutrition Facts label for packaged foods that would reflect new scientific information, including the link between diet and chronic diseases such as obesity and heart disease. The intent of the new label is to make it easier for consumers to make better informed food choices. The required date for the label change was January 1st, 2020.
We can see the new labels starting to appear. Manufacturers with $10 million or more in annual sales must switch to the new label by the January date; manufacturers with less than $10 million in annual food sales have until January 1, 2021 to comply.
The FDA plans to work cooperatively with manufacturers to meet the new Nutrition Facts label requirements. Manufacturers of most single-ingredient sugars such as honey and maple syrup and certain cranberry products have until July 1, 2021 to make the changes. Manufacturers of certain flavored dried cranberries have until July 1, 2020 to make the changes.
While it seems mind-boggling that four years would be needed for the labels to bear the new information, the time is now here. To learn more, go to:
https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/changes-nutrition-facts-label