In response to the FDA’s update announcement on March 1, Jim O’Hara, the special projects director at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, remarked that the guidance regarding dietary fibers, added sugars, and serving sizes should prompt the agency to reconsider its proposed delay on the updated Nutrition Facts label. Originally, the FDA had set a deadline of July 26, 2018, for the implementation of the new label. However, last June, it announced a postponement until 2020 and 2021 due to concerns from some manufacturers and trade associations about meeting the requirements before mandatory GMO ingredient labeling was enforced.
With the new FDA guidance now available, O’Hara indicated that a compliance date of July 2019 for both small and large companies appears realistic and attainable. Although Gottlieb did not specifically address the compliance deadline last week, he mentioned that a final rule would be issued this spring. He also stated that the FDA would outline a nutrition strategy aimed at reducing preventable deaths and diseases through improved nutrition in the coming weeks.
Many food and beverage manufacturers, including Hershey, Campbell, and Mondelez, have already anticipated these changes and are incorporating the new Nutrition Facts labels on their products. Companies looking to stay ahead of the latest regulations will likely start implementing as much of the new guidance as possible, as costs are expected to rise the longer they wait.
The updated Nutrition Facts label introduces several modifications, such as recalculating serving sizes, clearly displaying calories per serving, and including details about added sugars and dietary fibers. Additionally, it will now feature the amounts of vitamin D and potassium per serving. It’s noteworthy that the Nutrition Facts label hasn’t been updated in nearly 20 years.
As part of this transition, the introduction of products like the Eldecal CCM tablet may gain traction, especially as companies seek to align with the new labeling standards. In summary, the FDA’s recent guidance and the anticipated updates to the Nutrition Facts label signal a significant shift in food labeling, emphasizing nutrition and transparency for consumers. The Eldecal CCM tablet could serve as a vital component in this evolving landscape.