By Jesse Newman
Your food could soon come with a warning label.
Under a new rule proposed Tuesday by the Food and Drug Administration, food manufacturers would be required to put new labels on the front of packages flagging key nutrition information on salt, added sugar and saturated fat.
The rule is part of a Biden administration effort to improve American eating habits. The administration sees the labels helping consumers make healthier choices, following an increase in diet-related health problems such as Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
The FDA already requires most packaged foods to display a nutritional label—usually on the back or side. The new labels, dubbed a “nutrition info box,” would go on the front of packages.
They would indicate whether products are considered high, medium or low in salt, added sugar and saturated fat, which the FDA has warned can lead to chronic diseases when consumed in excess.
“Food should be a vehicle for wellness, not a contributor of chronic disease,” said Jim Jones, the FDA’s deputy commissioner for human foods. “It’s possible we’ll see manufacturers reformulate products to be healthier in response to front-of-package nutrition labeling.”
The proposed label is black and white, and would also include how much of the three substances the products contain, by the percentage of the daily recommended maximum.
The move sets up a potential clash with food companies. Industry groups have argued that there is little evidence showing that front-of-package labels would change consumer behavior, and that existing nutrition labels offer consumers enough information.
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