Upcoming labeling requirements could require food processors and manufacturers to feature a nutrition indicator box on the front of their packaging. If these changes are adopted, LabelCalc is here to simplify the transition and ensure compliance.
A few months ago, the LabelCalc team attended a labeling conference in Washington D.C. to hear the U.S. Food & Drug Administration speak about possible new measures to address the increasingly prevalent issue of diet-related diseases like Type 2 Diabetes, obesity, and hypertension.
Among the discussions was Front of Package Nutritional Labeling, which if introduced, would help consumers make more informed decisions about their diets. No one can say for certain, but representatives from FDA and industry expressed confidence that legislation requiring FOP labeling will be introduced in the near future.
By requiring food manufacturers to display at-a-glance nutrition information prominently on food packaging, consumers – and particularly those with a lower understanding of nutrition – would be able to quickly recognize a healthier food over another and make more informed choices about what they eat. The new box would also complement the Nutrition Facts panel that is already required on the side or back of packaging.
The latest move follows a sustained push by the Biden Administration to transform our eating habits by the end of the decade. In September 2022, the White House released a National Strategy to end hunger and increase healthy eating and physical activity by 2030.
Form And Function
The recent conference this June provided some insight into what these new labeling measures would mean for the food industry. Although it’s still some way off being finalized, the discussions focused on what form the new rules could take and how the information could be displayed.
Although FOP labeling is new to the U.S., it’s already common on store shelves in countries around the world. Some use traffic light-colored labels, while others rely on low, medium, high indicators, or other types of warnings. Extensive research is being carried out with various stakeholders to determine which formats are most easily understood and recognized by consumers.
The FDA’s early drafts suggest the new rules will target three key nutrients: saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. These will likely use the recommended Daily Value (%DV) to show whether a food is high or low in nutrients. Typically, up to 5% DV of a specific nutrient per serving is low, with 20% DV or above considered high.
The changes will be significant for food manufacturers. Firstly, there will be the inevitable costs associated with having to redesign their boxes, containers, and packets to accommodate the new information panels. It will also be necessary to carefully monitor the phasing out of the existing packaging.
Having to highlight high levels of fat or high sugar content in foods isn’t conducive to sales either, so food processors may be tempted to try to reformulate to avoid having to place red warning symbols on their products. Again, that will increase costs.
The new measures will also cause concern for anyone making multi-ingredient products, particularly those with higher quantities of sodium, for example. As a sidenote, a voluntary sodium reduction program is also in the works, with the FDA recently issuing guidance for Phase II and new voluntary targets.
Simplifying Complexity
Discussions are rumbling on, but if and when FOP labeling is implemented – and whatever form it takes – LabelCalc’s software can help make the process simpler. We’re continuing to monitor progress and are keeping our finger on the pulse of this new regulation. As soon as it’s finalized, we’ll be developing the tools to identify which products are affected and help you generate the appropriate labels to display the correct data.
If you’d like to learn more about how food manufacturers use LabelCalc to create accurate and FDA-compliant Nutrition Facts Panels, reach out to our labeling experts today.