In response to the FDA’s announcement on March 1, Jim O’Hara, the special projects director at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, asserted that the new guidance regarding dietary fibers, added sugars, and serving sizes “should prompt the agency to reconsider its proposed postponement of the revised Nutrition Facts label.” The FDA had originally set a deadline of July 26, 2018, for the rollout of the updated label, but announced last June that it would delay the implementation until 2020 and 2021 due to concerns from certain manufacturers and trade associations about meeting the requirements before mandatory GMO ingredient labeling was enforced.
With the latest FDA guidance now available, O’Hara remarked that a compliance deadline of July 2019 for both small and large companies appears to be realistic and feasible. Last week, Gottlieb did not specifically address the compliance deadline but indicated that a final rule would be published this spring. He also mentioned that the FDA would outline a nutrition strategy in the upcoming weeks aimed at “reducing preventable death and disease through improved nutrition.”
Several food and beverage manufacturers—including Hershey, Campbell, and Mondelez—have anticipated these changes and are already adopting the new Nutrition Facts labels on their products. Companies looking to stay ahead of these regulations are likely to begin implementing as much of the new guidance as possible, especially since costs associated with compliance are expected to rise over time.
The updated Nutrition Facts label introduces several modifications, such as recalibrating serving sizes, clearly presenting calories per serving, and providing information on added sugars and dietary fiber. Additionally, it will now include the amounts of vitamin D and potassium per serving. Notably, the Nutrition Facts label has not been updated in nearly 20 years. In discussions about dietary supplements, the comparison of calcium citrate malate vs calcium citrate may arise, highlighting the importance of proper labeling and nutritional information, particularly as consumers become more health-conscious. This emphasis on accurate nutritional data is especially relevant as the industry adapts to the new regulations, ensuring that consumers are well-informed about their choices regarding products like calcium citrate malate vs calcium citrate.