FDA has launched an initiative to update the Nutrition Facts label for packaged foods so that nutritional content listed on products is clear, accurate and more easily understood. The proposal aims to include the latest scientific information, including the link between diet and chronic diseases such as obesity and heart disease, on product packaging. The proposed label would also replace out-of-date serving sizes to align better with how much people really eat, and it would feature a fresh design to highlight key parts of the label such as calories and serving sizes.

“Our guiding principle here is very simple: that you as a parent and a consumer should be able to walk into your local grocery store, pick up an item off the shelf, and be able to tell whether it’s good for your family,” said First Lady Michelle Obama.

“For 20 years consumers have come to rely on the iconic nutrition label to help them make healthier food choices,” said FDA commissioner Margaret Hamburg, MD. “To remain relevant, the FDA’s newly proposed Nutrition Facts label incorporates the latest in nutrition science as more has been learned about the connection between what we eat and the development of serious chronic diseases impacting millions of Americans.”

Some of the changes to the label FDA proposed would:

• Require information about the amount of “Added Sugars” in a food product.
• Update serving size requirements to reflect the amounts people currently eat.
• Present “dual column” labels to indicate both “per serving” and “per package” calorie and nutrition information for larger packages that could be consumed in one sitting or multiple sittings.
• Require the declaration of potassium and vitamin D. Vitamins A and C would no longer be required on the label, though manufacturers could declare them voluntarily.
• Revise the Daily Values for a variety of nutrients (sodium, dietary fiber and vitamin D).
• While continuing to require “Total Fat,” “Saturated Fat” and “Trans Fat” on the label, “Calories from Fat” would be removed because research shows the type of fat is more important than the amount.
• Refresh the format to emphasize certain elements, such as calories, serving sizes and Percent Daily Value.

According to FDA, the proposed updates reflect new dietary recommendations, consensus reports and national survey data, such as the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, nutrient intake recommendations from the Institute of Medicine and intake data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). FDA also considered input and comments from a range of stakeholders.

FDA is also proposing to make corresponding updates to the Supplement Facts label on dietary supplements where applicable.