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FDA Updates Nutrition Facts Panel – Free Template to Create Your Own Panels

Nutrition Facts Panel Requirements

The FDA finalized changes to the current nutrition facts label of conventional foods and dietary supplements on May 20, 2016.

The regulations were amended to provide updated nutritional information on the label and to assist consumers in maintaining healthy dietary practices along with ensuring that consumers have a clearer picture of nutritional facts, such as the total amount of sugar in a food. Consumsers continue to seek out less sugar and state that limiting sugar is the #1 reason consumers say they are eating healthier now.

When the FDA first announced they would be revising the system, there was huge debate over its content and design. All stakeholders, including consumers, manufacturers, scientists and food lobbyists were involved and over 300,000 comments were submitted.

What’s Different on the Nutrition Facts Panel

Although the look of the label remains the same, the information updates are aimed at ensuring consumers have the information they need to make informed decisions about what they eat.

• Servings: One of the most controversial changes in the new rule is in the serving size. The new rule for serving size reflects what people currently eat, not what companies decide seems reasonable. Serving size will appear in a larger and bolder font.
• Calories: Because of the country’s growing obesity epidemic, the FDA officials have changed the format of the total calorie count to a much larger font size to increase the prominence of the term “Calories.
• Calories from Fat: Removing the declaration of “Calories from fat” because current science supports a view that the type of fat is more relevant than overall total fat intake in increased risk of chronic diseases. The subcategories of Total Fat – Saturated Fat and Trans Fat are still required.
• Updated Daily Values: Updating certain reference values used in the declaration of percent DVs of nutrients such as sodium, dietary fiber and Vitamin D based on newer scientific evidence. Daily values are reference amounts of nutrients that help consumers understand nutrition information in the context of total daily diet.
• Sugars: Changing “Sugars” to “Total Sugars” and requiring that “Includes `X’ g Added Sugars” be indented and declared directly below “Total Sugars” on the label.  Added Sugars are noted in both grams and percent daily value and depict sugars that are added during processing versus sugars that come naturally in foods such as fruits and dairy.
• Changes in Nutrients Required: Vitamins A and C are no longer required to be on the label and are being replaced with Vitamin D and potassium. A lack of Vitamin D and potassium are putting people at risk for chronic disease, according to the FDA.
• Actual Amounts Declared: Manufacturer’s must declare the actual amount of vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium. Declaring the gram amount for other vitamins and minerals is voluntary.
• New Footnote: The new footnote has been revised to explain better what percent Daily Value means to the consumer. It reads: “The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.”
• Maintenance of Records: Requiring the maintenance of records to support the declarations of certain nutrients under specified circumstances. See final rule for detailed information.

Compliance Dates for Food Manufacturers

Changes to manufacturer’s nutrition facts panel may be made now. The deadlines for changes are:

• Manufacturers with $10 million or more in annual foods sales must comply with the FDA final rule by July 26, 2018.
• Manufacturers with less than $10 million in annual foods sales must comply with the final rule by July 26, 2019.

FDA Industry Resources

Food Labeling: Revision of the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels

Food Labeling: Serving Sizes of Foods that Can Reasonably Be Consumed at One Eating Occasion; Dual-Column Labeling; Updating, Modifying, and Establishing Certain Reference Amounts Customarily Consumed; Serving Size for Breath Mints; and Technical Amendments

Changes to the Nutrition Facts Label

John True
Director Regulatory Compliance