Food Label News ArchiveFood Label News SubscriptionsNutritional Analysis Food Labels - Food Nutrition Facts LabelsFood Consulting Company: Nutrition-Labeling-Regulatory

Volume 13, Number 2 - February 2013

Greetings from Food Label News. In this issue, we cover the important food labeling topics that are in the Proposed Rule stage and the potential implications for food labelers. We also continue our series on due diligence with database nutrition analysis. We hope these articles inspire thought and that you will continue the conversation in the Food Label Community on LinkedIn.

In this issue you'll find:

 

"Thank you for directing me to your newsletter, Food Label News. I found the answer to my question and only wished I had looked there a couple of weeks ago. Very helpful."

– Mark Wilcox
The Whole Grain Corporation

FDA Rule Making on Important Topics

Nutrition Analysis Series - Part 4 of 10
Make Adjustments for Processing

Reader Q&A: Multiple Single-Serve Pouches

What's News in the Food Label Community

 

Karen C. Duester, President


FDA Rule Making on Important Topics

Twice a year all U.S. government agencies publish an agenda that describes the regulatory actions under development or recently completed. In the most recent agenda released in the Federal Register on January 8, 2013, FDA noted that the following important food labeling topics are in the Proposed Rule stage.

•

Revision of Nutrition Facts and Supplement Facts

•

Serving sizes of foods that can reasonably be consumed in one eating occasion; dual column labeling; modifying Reference Amounts Customarily Consumed

•

Labeling of hard candies and breath mints

•

Serving Sizes and Reference Amounts for candies

The proposed actions, if adopted into final regulation, will dramatically affect every food label in existence today. We have not seen this kind of far-reaching change since 1993 when nutrition labeling became mandatory or 2006 when trans fat and allergen labeling went into effect.

FDA also noted two issues in the Final Rule stage.
•

Nutrition labeling for foods sold in vending machines

•

Nutrition labeling for standard menu items in restaurants and similar retail establishments

This announcement of pending Final Rules comes as no surprise to restaurateurs and vending machine operators who have been anticipating mandatory labeling requirements for the last several years.

What's News in the
Food Label Community

•

Food labeling issues on FDA's regulatory agenda

•

New CFIA resource for determining Common Names

•

EU adopts guidelines related to health claims

•

UK considers sugar & salt limits in foods for kids

•

Rumblings of a final rule for gluten-free in the U.S.

•

Labeling requirements for sample food packages

• Opinion: FDA is right on GMO labeling

Connect with other food labelers on LinkedIn

Reader Favorites

More time to influence nutrition labels revision

Proposed rule for gluten-free on food labels

 

Search answers to food label questions

We hypothesize that changes to the Nutrition Facts label could include such items as graphic changes, a more prominent display of calories, calories for the entire package, serving size changes, and adjustment of daily values, to name just a few. The proposed rules, when published, will invite comment from all interested stakeholders – from industry to consumer groups.


Nutrition Analysis Series - Part 4 of 10
Make Adjustments for Processing

This month’s installment in our 10-part series overviews Step 4 of the Nutrition Analysis process: making processing adjustments. This series is based on a widely regarded publication distributed by ESHA Research to users of Genesis R&D, the industry’s leading nutrition analysis software. 

View/print Part 4 of the series

If you missed earlier parts of the series you can view and download them now. (Get Part 1 Part 2, or Part 3.) The print-ready pages from all parts of the series will add up to the complete guide.

In this step, you will understand the important ways that processing can affect nutrient content, such as moisture loss, fat absorption, and vitamin retention.


Reader Q&A

Find answers to our readers' questions or send us your question for an upcoming issue.

Q.

We have 54 single serving pouches each weighing 0.9 OZ that go into a carton. The nutrition facts serving size on the carton is labeled 1 pouch (26g). Which is correct for the net weight statement?

54 – 0.9 OZ (25.5g) Pouches, 48.6 OZ (3LB 0.6 OZ) 1.37kg
or
54 – 0.9 OZ (26g) Pouches, 49.5 OZ (3LB 1.5 OZ) 1.40kg

B.V., Minnesota, Label Compliance Coordinator

A.

The net weight statement must be the true product net weight and not a rounded value. Therefore, the first option is correct. Read more.


What matters in food labeling

Food Label News, now in its 13th year, is a monthly e-newsletter reaching over 7,500 subscribers around the world. We welcome your colleagues to subscribe for news and insights about food labels: www.foodlabels.com/subscribe

 

Your virtual food label partner

Food Consulting Company, founded in 1993, provides nutrition analysis, food labeling, and regulatory support for more than 1,500 clients worldwide.
Our guarantee: 100% regulatory compliance. Contact us for the help you need now.

You may reprint all or part of this newsletter provided you attribute it to Food Label News and include a link to www.foodlabels.com.

© 2013. Food Consulting Company, Del Mar, CA. All rights reserved.