The design of the new label is based on scientific information, including the relation between diet and chronic diseases, helping consumers to make better-informed food choices
The new Nutrition Facts label helps consumers make informed food choices that support a healthy diet. (Credit: Jason Antony from FreeImages)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has introduced a new initiative to support consumers to use the new Nutrition Facts label, which is displayed on packaged foods.
With a tagline “What’s In It For You?”, the initiative is aimed at reaching the public with a special focus on the consumers who have nutrition-related chronic diseases that include obesity and heart disease.
The campaign involves videos and educational materials related to the “food products” modelling their new looks along with a fashion runway, upon receiving a makeover.
The new initiative forms part of the FDA’s Nutrition Innovation Strategy
It forms part of the FDA’s multi-year Nutrition Innovation Strategy, which helps to empower consumers with information regarding healthy food choices.
FDA director of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Center Susan Mayne said: “This campaign highlights that the new Nutrition Facts label has been designed to assist consumers in making better-informed food choices.
“If a consumer wants to know how many calories there are in a serving, that information is now highlighted. If a consumer wants to choose a food with more vitamin D or less added sugars, that information is now right there on the label.”
FDA said that the new label, which was finalised in May 2016, is already being used by most manufacturers. The regulator stated that the new labels must appear on all food items by 1 January 2021.
The new label can be differentiated by its bold listings for serving sizes and calorie counts.
Other changes include new required listings for added sugars, vitamin D and potassium along with a dual column version of the label for food packages, which contain 2-3 servings that can be consumed at one time.
The design of the new label is based on scientific information, including the relation between diet and chronic diseases, helping consumers to make better-informed food choices.