Volume 15, Number
2 - February 2015
Greetings from Food Label News.
Ground hog day. For those food labelers experiencing a
winter wonderland – still – we are wishing you warmer days
ahead. It's heating up for restaurants as new requirements
for menu item labeling are approved. Read all about what's
new and what's required. As always, we welcome your comments
and discussion in the
Food Label Community on LinkedIn!
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New on the Menu:
Required Nutrition
Information
The time has come for all restaurants and similar
establishments that serve restaurant-type food to get on
board with the new menu labeling law. This
requires restaurants and food service facilities with 20+
locations (same name regardless of ownership) to disclose
calories and other nutrition information.
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By December 1, 2015, FDA requires all menus and menu boards to include
calories for each menu item as well as a statement about suggested
daily caloric intake and availability of additional nutrition
information upon request.
The
final rule is comprehensive. Here's a quick
summary of key points not to overlook: |
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Applies to a very broad range of
restaurants and restaurant-type
establishments -
Examples include quick service and
sit-down restaurants, food take-out
facilities, pizza delivery
establishments, food facilities in
entertainment venues such as movie
theaters and bowling alleys,
cafeterias, coffee shops,
convenience stores, grocery stores,
and superstores. The rule excludes
schools and food facilities without
fixed sites such as mobile food
trucks, trains, and airplanes. |
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Defines "standard"
menu item – The new rule covers
menu items that are offered for sale
at least 60 days per calendar year,
which are considered "standard".
Daily specials, custom orders and
limited-time test market items
(fewer than 90 consecutive days) are
exempt. |
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Requires availability of
additional nutrition information – The
following nutrients must be included
in the additional information you
provide for menu items: calories, calories
from fat, total fat, saturated fat,
trans fat, cholesterol, sodium,
carbohydrates, dietary fiber,
sugars, and protein. |
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Preparing nutrition documentation for all of your menu
items for the first time can be a daunting task. Maintaining the
accuracy of the information over time is challenging as well. The
reality is that restaurants are now required to keep nutrition
information accurate and up-to-date despite new vendors, different
portion sizes, menu item changes, and new recipes. To maintain control
of the process and plan for inevitable changes, consider implementing a
master system that can be updated easily or working with a partner who
can do it for you. |
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What's News in the Food Label
Community
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Reader Q&A
Find
answers to our readers'
questions or send us
your question for an
upcoming issue.
Q. |
Our Supplement Facts Label shows Sodium 180 mg/serving
and Potassium 420 mg/serving. The actual test results
are Sodium 147 mg/serving and Potassium - 399
mg/serving. Do we have an issue?
− E.G., California, Nutraceutical Company
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A. |
It depends if these nutrients are naturally-occurring or
added by fortification. FDA has different regulatory
requirements for Class I (fortified) and Class II
(naturally-occurring) nutrients.
Read more. |
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What Matters in Food Labeling
Food Label News,
now in its 15th year, is a monthly e-newsletter reaching
over 9,000 subscribers around the world. We
welcome your colleagues to subscribe for news and insights
about food labels:
www.foodlabels.com/subscribe
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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.
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© 2015. Food Consulting Company, Del Mar, CA. All rights reserved.
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