News on the New Nutrition Label and How to Use It
The FDA has made updates to the
current Nutrition Facts panel to
ensure that consumers can make
more informed decisions about the
food and beverages they purchase.
The redesign of the nutrition label
was a result of feedback and analysis
from available scientific data, FDA
research, and industry input. While
the intent of this change was to
provide clarity to consumers, many
are confused about what impact this
will have. As educators, it is
important to better understand
what changes have been made and
the FDA’s rationale in order to
inform others regarding the new
label.
Key Differences
Larger and Bolded Font
Rationale: ‘Calories’, ‘Serving Size’, and ‘Amount per
container’ is now bolded and in a larger font. This allows
consumers to easily read how many servings and
calories are in a food product.
Addition of an “Added Sugars”* Line
Rationale: The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines suggest
that it is difficult to meet appropriate nutrient needs
while staying within calorie limits if more than 10% of
daily calories are from added sugar. Including an added
sugar line can help consumers distinguish between
inherent and added sugars.
Added Sugar Definition: Includes sugars that have been
added during the processing or packaging of foods as
well as free, mono- and disaccharides and sugars from
syrups and honey.
*Further information on Added Sugars and
Fiber on next page
Updated Serving Sizes
Rationale: Inappropriate serving sizes can
mislead consumers about the total nutrient
composition of food and beverage products.
Serving sizes are based on the amount of food
and drink that is typically consumed, and is not
necessarily a serving size recommendation.
Some % Daily Values Updated
Rationale: Several nutrients % Daily Values
were updated based on the 2015 Dietary
Guidelines Advisory Committee Report and to
be consistent with Dietary Reference Intakes
(DRI’s).
Nutrient Previous Current
Sodium: 2,400 mg 2,300 mg
Fiber*: 24 g 28 g
Vitamin D: 10 mcg 20 mcg
Calcium: 1,000 mg 1,300 mg
Potassium: 3,500 mg 4,700 mg
Addition of a Clearer %DV Footnote
Rationale: Provide more clarity about what the
%DV column is and how it can be used.
Addition of Vitamin D and Potassium
Rationale: According to an NHANES study1, Americans
are not consuming enough of these two nutrients.
Vitamin D is closely related to bone health, while
potassium helps to decrease blood pressure. Calcium
and iron will still be required, but Vitamins A and C will
not. Food manufactures can add these vitamins to the
label voluntarily. Additionally, nutrient quantities are
listed and can be used as a tool to monitor intake.
Dual Column Labels for Certain Products
Rationale: Products with 2-3 servings per container but
could be consumed in one or multiple sittings have a
dual column. One column provides nutrient information
on a ‘per serving’ basis and the other column on a ‘per
package’ basis.
Timeframe
Large food companies must convert to the new label by
January 1, 2020 while smaller companies have until
January 1, 2021. However, these updates can be seen in
stores now, as manufacturers have already started
producing products with the new label.
Oversight
Currently, the FDA and USDA oversee and monitor
compliance to this law. They perform inspections of
products and if a labeling violation is identified, the
offending food company is notified to correct the
violation.
Added Sugars
Excessive sugar consumption is closely related to
excess calorie consumption. However, sugar is involved
in key physical and chemical functions desired in many
food and beverage products. For example, sugar is a
key component in the Mallard Browning reaction
which provides product specific color and flavor
characteristics. Additionally, sugar is involved in
creating the bulk and texture of many products. For
instance, sugar helps with the tenderness/lightness of
bakery products by binding to liquid components in the
dough as well as interacting with egg proteins to
stabilize whipped foams. Sugar also affects the overall
crystallization size in frozen food products.
Fermentation is another chemical process that is
dependent on the presence of sugar. Product
preservation of food also depends on sugar
concentration because it can bind to water which helps
reduce spoilage.
So, while it is recommended to reduce sugar in our
diets, it’s also important to recognize that sugar has
other functional properties that determine a food and
beverage product’s final taste, texture, and
appearance. Limiting added sugar from foods with low
overall nutritive value is now more feasible with these
changes to the Nutrition Facts panel.
Facts on Fiber
The FDA has created a specific definition for what
constitutes dietary fiber. The official definition states
“only fibers with a beneficial physiological effect on
human health can be declared as dietary fiber on the
food label”. Naturally occurring fiber found in fruits,
vegetables, or whole grains meet this definition as well
as seven isolated or synthetic non-digestible
carbohydrates (beta-glucan soluble fiber, psyllium
husk, cellulose, guar gum, pectin, locust bean gum, and
hydroxypropyl methylcellulose). This initial list is
currently under review and more fibers could be added
based on FDA’s review of submitted petitions.
Suggestions for Nutrition Educators
- Know and understand what changes are being
made to the nutrition label.
- Assist patients and clients in meeting dietary goals
through increased awareness of foods higher in
nutrients of concern and/or nutrients to limit.
- Understand the purpose of added sugars in
products, and educate accordingly
- Familiarize yourself with the approved sources of
fiber and know which products may be affected by
this new definition
- Provide education about how to read and interpret
the new nutrition label in order for individuals to
make healthful decisions about the food and
beverage products they purchase.
- Offer online resources to the FDA’s website.
1
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/ nchs/nhanes/
2
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. Labeling & Nutrition -
Changes to the Nutrition Facts Label. Available at: https://www.fda.gov
/food/guidanceregulation/guidancedocumentsregulatoryinformation/labelin
gnutrition/ucm385663.htm
3
Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety. Why Sugar Is
Added to Food: Food Science 101. Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.
com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1541-4337.12151
4
Today’s Dietitian. Food Labeling - RDs Who Know the Requirements Can
Better Assist Clients in Making Healthful Food Choices. Available at:
http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/040212p52.shtml