“Quick-Scan Nutrition Labels: The FDA’s Bold Move for Smarter Eating!”

The FDA asserts that front-of-package labeling would enable consumers to more readily evaluate the amounts of sugar, fat, and salt in packaged foods and beverages.

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The Food and Drug Administration aims to alter how packaged food is marketed in the United States. In the final days of the Biden administration, the agency has put forth a requirement for a new label on the front of most packaged foods and beverages intended to assist Americans in making healthier dietary choices.

The suggested labels would indicate whether a packaged food or beverage contains low, moderate, or high quantities of sodium, added sugar, and saturated fat, while also outlining the percentage of the daily value of these nutrients that the product provides.

Extensive research has connected excessive intake of sodium, sugar, and saturated fat to chronic illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes — leading causes of disability and death in the U.S. and significant contributors to yearly healthcare expenditures, Rebecca Buckner, associate deputy director for human food policy for the FDA’s Human Foods Program, stated during a media engagement on Tuesday.

“And yet the vast majority of Americans surpass current recommended limits for all these nutrients,” Buckner remarks.

Salt, sugar, and fat are often present in elevated levels in ultra-processed foods to enhance flavor and prolong shelf life. These items constitute a large part of the typical American diet, yet increasing research has associated ultra-processed foods with a variety of adverse health effects.

“Food should act as a means of wellness, not a contributor to chronic disease,” FDA Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods Jim Jones stated in a declaration. “Besides our objective of offering information to consumers, it’s possible we’ll observe manufacturers reformulating their products to be healthier in response to front-of-package nutrition labeling.”

A research study involving 10,000 U.S. adults indicated that a black and white nutrition label was most effective in assisting consumers in identifying healthier food choices.

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The suggested new label would not replace the nutrition facts label located on the back of packaged items, but is intended to supplement it. The FDA asserts that consumers could utilize the new front-of-package labels to more readily compare the nutritional value of various foods at a glance — for instance, by examining two containers of yogurt to determine which has lower added sugar.

“We’re excited about the new front-of-pack nutrition labeling proposal as it will equip consumers with the information necessary to take charge of their own health and make more nutritious purchasing choices,” asserts Dr. Peter Lurie, president of the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest, which has consistently advocated for front-of-package labeling.

In 2023 the FDA performed a study involving nearly 10,000 U.S. adults to discern which labels aided consumers in making quicker and more accurate evaluations of products based on levels of saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. The findings indicated that black and white labels were most effective in enabling individuals to identify healthier food choices.

However, the Consumer Brands Association, formerly known as the Grocery Manufacturers Association, voiced concerns regarding the proposed label. “The FDA’s proposed rule for front-of-package nutrition labeling seems to hinge on unclear methodology and neglect of industry feedback and collaboration,” Sara Gallo, the vicepresident for product policy at the industry trade association, commented in a statement to NPR. She highlights that the food industry has its own voluntary labeling programs, such as the Facts Up Front label, which she claims are already “assisting consumers in making the healthiest choices.”

Front-of-package labels have increasingly become standard in various other nations in recent years. Nevertheless, Lurie points out that in several countries, nutrition labels function as warnings, only appearing if a product is high in salt, sugar, or fat. This is the method that Chile implemented in 2016. Packaged goods sold in Chile now display a stop sign label on the front indicating if they contain high amounts of salt, sugar, or fat. Studies have determined that following the adoption of these labels, Chilean consumers bought significantly fewer calories, sugar, saturated fat, and sodium than expected had the labels not been in place.

Lurie would have favored a warning label approach, but he believes the FDA’s proposed label is significantly better than no label at all.

The nutrition label is not expected to appear on packaged items in the near future. Presently, the proposal is open for public feedback until May 16. Following that, the FDA may opt to make adjustments to the proposal or finalize the new regulation. Once finalized, the FDA indicates that larger food manufacturers would have three years to implement the new labels, whereas smaller food manufacturers would receive an extra year.

Gallo from the Consumer Brands Association expresses that the food industry group anticipates collaboration with the incoming Trump administration.

This article was revised by Jane Greenhalgh