Important News and Developments

Hard-to-Find Info on FDA's Nutrition Update: See Food Label News

Del Mar, CA – February 11, 2009 – Food labeling stakeholders who could not attend FDA's December 12, 2008, "Nutrition Roundtable Discussion with Stakeholders" can now view the meeting agenda and presentation outline and slides. FDA made neither distance participation nor a meeting transcript available for the two and one-half hour meeting that was held in College Park, Maryland.

Upon request to FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food Consulting Company received the meeting agenda and presentation slides by email. With FDA permission, the information was made available to Food Label News subscribers on February 6, 2009. Other interested parties can now view the information by accessing the archived issue on the Food Consulting Company website.

FDA's purpose of the Roundtable was to communicate nutrition activities and provide status updates on several topics. FDA talked about foods referred to as functional foods, health claims, evidence-based review guidance, critical path on biomarkers for use in health claims, front-of-pack labeling, collaboration between FDA and USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion for nutrition education and outreach, "Spot the Block," and sodium status.

Food Consulting Company, based in Del Mar, CA, is the largest outsource provider assisting food companies in meeting FDA labeling requirements. Food Label News is the company's free monthly email newsletter that keeps food companies informed on government actions for food labels. Subscriptions are available at the company website, www.foodlabels.com.

Food Consulting Company offers a full range of food labeling services. The company can be reached via the Contact Us form at www.foodlabels.com.