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Volume 16, Number 8 - August 2016

Hello from Food Label News. Summer vacation is in full swing as are questions about the new food label regulations and planning for compliance. In our ongoing New Nutrition Label Series, we take a look at the changes in nutrients and provide a detailed comparison of the original vs. new 2016 requirements. We hope you find it helpful! You’ll also find a question from our readers about when it’s acceptable to claim "whole grain". Let the sun shine in!

In this issue you'll find:

 

"I love the information in your newsletter - I pass it on to my clients."

– Camille Hendsbee, RD, LDN  
Megna Nutrition Associates  

Nutrient News: What's In, Out and Changed
Part 3, New Nutrition Label Series

What's News in the Food Label Community

Reader Q&A: Defining Whole Grain

 

Karen C. Duester, President


Nutrient News: What's In, Out and Changed
Part 3, New Nutrition Label Series

The 2016 food label regulations include widespread changes in nutrients and % Daily Values (DV). In fact, nearly every line of the Nutrition Facts label requires a change. What’s important to recognize is that some nutrients are now required on the Nutrition Facts label, a few are no longer allowed, some are voluntary, and others have either changed definition or daily intake requirements. In addition, the unit of measure has changed for some nutrients.

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Here is a quick overview of the many changes:
•

New requirements – added sugars, vitamin D, potassium

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No longer allowed – calories from fat, other carbohydrates

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No longer mandatory, now voluntary – vitamin A, vitamin C

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New definition – dietary fiber

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Updated DV – total fat, sodium, total carbohydrate, dietary fiber, potassium and 24 other vitamins and minerals

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New unit of measure – vitamin A in mcg RAE, vitamin D in mcg, vitamin E in mg, niacin in mg NE, folate in mcg DFE

See a quick comparison of nutrient requirements: original vs. new 2016.

Next month we continue with Part 4 of the New Nutrition Label Series: Changes to Serving Sizes for Typical Americans. Here is what you need to know if you missed Part 1 or Part 2 of the series.

Now is the time to be working with your ingredient suppliers to ensure that you have all of the critical data needed to revise your Nutrition Facts labels. Getting updated nutrition profiles is important for two reasons: 1) raw data is needed to calculate both new values and new nutrients for the Nutrition Facts; and 2) FDA now requires recordkeeping for added nutrients that cannot be validated with current lab analysis: added sugars, certain types of dietary fiber, vitamin E and folate/folic acid.

As an example: if you manufacture chocolate chip cookies, not only do you need to add vitamin D and potassium to the Nutrition Facts, but you also must declare total added sugars including sugar from sub-ingredients like chocolate chips. Nutrition data from your chocolate chip supplier and other ingredient suppliers will ensure that you have what you need to create a compliant Nutrition Facts label and fulfill your recordkeeping requirements.


What's News in the Food Label Community

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FDA updates: Salt GRAS status, Online CFR updated, Vitamin D and milk/milk alternates, Vending machine labeling

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Allergen labeling (8+ comments)

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Ingredient labeling brown rice flour (6+ comments)

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Rounding rules for new Nutrition Facts label (6+ comments) and (7+ comments)

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New FDA nutrition label on USDA? (9+ comments)

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Reader Q&A

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

Q.

Does a product need to be made of 100% whole grain to be labeled as "whole grain" or does it just need to have a certain percentage?
J.S., Idaho, Manufacturer 

A.

FDA specifies that a product labeled "whole grain" be made from 100% whole grain ingredients. This is based on the 2006 Draft Guidance for Industry in which FDA asserts that products labeled with "100 percent whole grain" not contain grain ingredients other than those the Agency considers to be whole grains (contains all the parts of the grain, i.e., the bran, endosperm and germ). For example, bread labeled as "whole grain" or "whole wheat" can only be labeled as such when it is made entirely from whole grain flour or whole wheat flour, respectively. Read More.


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