FDA targets sodium, saturated fats, added sugar with front-label proposal

Jan 15

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Craig Nigrelli Reporter

By Craig Nigrelli (Reporter ), Brock Koller (Senior Producer), Jack Henry (Video Editor)

The Food and Drug Administration wants new food warning labels on the front of food packaging and boxes so that consumers can make healthier choices. The FDA proposed a nutrition information box that includes information about saturated fats, sodium and added sugars.

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Food manufacturers would be required to put the labels on the front of products. The FDA said the boxes would flag the key information on those three specific ingredients. The label would include whether the ingredients are high, medium or low.

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The FDA believes that saturated fat, sodium and added sugar, when consumed in large quantities, contribute to diabetes, heart disease and even cancer. The label would also include the percentage of the daily recommended maximum of saturated fat, sodium and added sugars.

“Food should be a vehicle for wellness and not a contributor of chronic disease,” FDA Deputy Commissioner Jim Jones told The Wall Street Journal.

The FDA already requires nutritional labels to be displayed on most packaged foods. However, many labels are on the back or the side. In addition, nutritionists believe those labels can be confusing.

One example is fruit drinks that tout high levels of vitamin C that make them seem healthy, when in reality they are loaded with added sugar.

Industry groups are expected to oppose the front-label proposal. The Consumer Brands Association claims the rule does not reflect the latest research and that studies show the most effective labels include information about calories and which nutrients to encourage and which ones to limit.

Some food companies are said to be worried about the new labels. They claim it could demonize their products, such as candy bars. Critics have warned they could sue the FDA to block the mandatory labels.

The FDA will take public comment on the new food warning label until May 16. It remains to be seen if the incoming Trump administration would favor such a requirement.

If the rule is finalized, shoppers could see the new labels beginning sometime in 2028 at the earliest.

Tags: Donald Trump, food, Food service, Health, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Wall Street Journal

[Craig]

THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION WANTS NEW FOOD WARNING LABELS FRONT-AND-CENTER, ON FOOD PACKAGING AND BOXES, FOR CONSUMERS TO CLEARLY SEE IN ORDER TO MAKE HEALTHIER CHOICES. THE FDA IS PROPOSING A **NUTRITION INFO** BOX TO INCLUDE INFORMATION ABOUT SATURATED FATS, SODIUM AND ADDED SUGARS.
FOOD MANUFACTURERS WOULD BE REQUIRED TO PUT THE LABELS ON THE FRONT OF PRODUCTS TO FLAG THE KEY INFORMATION ON THOSE THREE SPECIFIC INGREDIENTS. THE LABEL WOULD INCLUDE WHETHER THEY ARE EITHER HIGH, MEDIUM OR LOW. THE FDA BELIEVES, WHEN CONSUMED IN LARGE QUANTITIES SATURATED FAT, SODIUM AND ADDED SUGAR ARE CONTRIBUTORS TO DIABETES, HEART DISEASE, EVEN CANCER. THE LABEL WOULD ALSO INCLUDE THE PERCENTAGE OF THE DAILY RECOMMENDED MAXIMUM OF SATURATED FAT, SODIUM AND ADDED SUGARS.
FDA DEPUTY COMMISSIONER JIM JONES SAID QUOTE “ FOOD SHOULD BE A VEHICLE FOR WELLNESS, NOT A CONTRIBUTOR OF CHRONIC DISEASE.”
THE FDA ALREADY REQUIRES NUTRITIONAL LABELS BE DISPLAYED ON MOST PACKAGED FOODS. HOWEVER, MANY LABELS ARE ON THE BACK OR THE SIDE. IN ADDITION, NUTRITIONISTS BELIEVE THOSE LABELS CAN BE CONFUSING. ONE EXAMPLE IS FRUIT DRINKS THAT TOUT HIGH LEVELS OF VITAMIN C THAT MAKE THEM SEEM HEALTHY, WHEN IN REALITY THEY ARE LOADED WITH ADDED SUGAR.
INDUSTRY GROUPS ARE EXPECTED TO PUSH BACK AGAINST THE FRONT LABEL PROPOSAL. THE CONSUMER BRANDS ASSOCIATION CLAIMS THE RULE DOES NOT REFLECT THE LATEST RESEARCH AND THAT STUDIES SHOW THE MOST EFFECTIVE LABELS INCLUDE INFORMATION ABOUT CALORIES AND WHICH NUTRIENTS TO ENCOURAGE AND WHICH ONES TO LIMIT. SOME FOOD COMPANIES ARE SAID TO BE WORRIED THAT THE NEW LABELS COULD DEMONIZE THEIR PRODUCTS, SUCH AS CANDY BARS.
INDUSTRY GROUPS HAVE WARNED THEY COULD SUE THE FDA TO BLOCK THE MANDATORY LABLELS.
THE FDA WILL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE NEW FOOD WARNING LABEL UNTIL MAY 16TH.
IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN IF THE INCOMING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WOULD FAVOR SUCH A NEW REQUIREMENT.
IF THE RULE IS FINALIZED, SHOPPERS WOULD SEE THE NEW LABELS, STARTING IN THE YEAR 2028 AT THE EARLIEST.