New Nutrition Science Means New Food Labels
By:   //  Health & Science, News Briefs

It’s been 20 years since the nutrition labels on the back of food products have changed, and the Food and Drug Administration thinks it’s time for an update. A lot has changed related to nutritional knowledge over the past two decades and the agency wants labels retooled in light of the new information.

Beyond the basic changes called for by the FDA, some health experts think there is room for improvement in the presentation of information on food labels. In particular, the number of calories needs to be made more prominent, and serving sizes should be easier to figure out. Michael Jacobson of the Center for Science in the Public Interest points out another problem area – grams. Most labels contain references to grams, a basic unit of the metric system, and one that is poorly understood by the American public.

In an Associated Press story, Michael Taylor, deputy commissioner of foods for the FDA says, “The food environment has changed and our dietary guidance has changed. It’s important to keep this updated so what is iconic doesn’t become a relic.”

The FDA has already been working on the new guidelines for a decade but has no timetable for when they will be implemented. (Derek Dowell – VNN) (Image: Flickr | The Labour Party)

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