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

Volume 13, Number 3 - March 2013

Greetings from Food Label News. In this issue you’ll read about the ins and outs of FDA's rule making process. We also continue our series on database nutrition analysis with the fifth installment focused on setting serving sizes. Be sure to check out the conversation on this and other important topics at the Food Label Community on LinkedIn. Happy reading!

In this issue you'll find:

 

"I have witnessed through your company's newsletter and the discussions through LinkedIn's Food Label Community that Food Consulting Company provides reliable, practical guidance to the industry."

– Cherie Newman
Wild Flavors

FDA Rule Making Process

Nutrition Analysis Series - Part 5 of 10
Set the Serving Size

Reader Q&A: Nutrition Facts for Children

What's News in the Food Label Community

 

Karen C. Duester, President


FDA Rule Making Process

What are the differences between a proposed rule, final rule, guidance and regulation? Deciphering the implications can be confusing and many are left thinking "Just tell me what to do!"

FDA's rule making process follows a series of steps that typically spans several years.

Advanced Notice of Proposed Rule Making (ANPRM) – Optional for FDA but used strategically to solicit comments on specific aspects of a topic before drafting a Proposed Rule.

ANPRM Comment Period – A defined period, when FDA collects input from industry, consumer groups, and other interested stakeholders. FDA's review and evaluation follows.

Proposed Rule – A Proposed Rule is published in the Federal Register; includes FDA's response to important comments.

Proposed Rule Comment Period – Stakeholders are again invited to give feedback to FDA for FDA's review and evaluation.

Final Rule – Final Rule is published in the Federal Register.

Compliance Date – Uniform Compliance Dates allow a minimum of one year for industry to translate a Final Rule into compliant labeling.

In addition to directional guidance available from ANPRMs and Proposed Rules, FDA offers guidance in other forms such as letters to industry, compliance policy guides, draft guidance, and Q&A documents.

What's News in the
Food Label Community

New nutrition standards for all foods sold in U.S. schools

Industry attorneys beg FDA to define "natural"

FDA progress on Final Rule for gluten-free

Use of the term "natural color" on an EU label

FTC's policing of advertising & what's happening in Canada

Connect with other food labelers on LinkedIn

Reader Favorites

Proposed Rule coming for across-the-board Nutrition Facts changes

 

Search answers to food label questions

A proposed rule is not enforceable as it is not yet codified into regulations, but does provide directional guidance before a Final Rule is published. The  Proposed Rule for gluten-free issued in 2007 is a good example of this.


Nutrition Analysis Series - Part 5 of 10
Set the Serving Size

This month's installment in our 10-part series overviews Step 5 of the Nutrition Analysis process: how to determine the serving size. 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 5 of the series

If you missed earlier parts of the series you can view and download them now. (Get Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 or Part 4.) The print-ready pages from all parts of the series will add up to the complete guide.

In this step, you will find broad food categories and guidelines for serving size along with the Code of Federal Regulations references that govern this important aspect of the food label.


Reader Q&A

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

Q.

When you put a serving size and the appropriate nutritional breakdown with it on a child's cereal, how do you calculate their daily nutritional needs? For example, if it's a cereal and it contains 10g of fat per serving, how can the percentage of a four-year-old's intake be the same as an eight-year-old's?
F.G., no state or company information provided

A.

While FDA has special requirements for nutrition labeling of products intended for children under the age of 2, children 2 to 4 years old, and pregnant/lactating women, there are no special labeling requirements for children 4 yrs old and older. The Daily Values (DVs) to use are those required for the general population. 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.