FDA plans front-of-package labeling regs
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
Commissioner Margaret Hamburg announces plans to impose a regulation for nutritional criteria for front-of-package labeling. In light of concerns about industry-sponsored Smart Choices and similar programs, Hamburg said FDA will examine existing FOP and shelf labels for foods to ensure they are not false or misleading under existing law (1"The Tan Sheet" Sept. 28, 2009). During an Oct. 20 media call, Hamburg said nutritionists question whether industry's FOP labels are "more marketing information than nutrition information. Judging from some of the labels we have seen, we think this a valid concern." She cited the system adopted in the U.K., in which the government set labeling standards and retailers used them to implement a system. FDA expects to "see significant progress toward our goal" of publishing the regulation by the end of 2010, the commissioner added
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