Updates to Nutrition Facts Panel Could Spell Rice Rewrites

 
Jun 01, 2016
Before and after
Nutrition-Facts-Panel before and after
WASHINGTON, DC – Last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) unveiled updates to the iconic nutrition facts panel that appears on the back of food packages.  These changes are the first in more than 20 years and aim to provide consumers with access to more recent and accurate nutrition information about the foods and beverages they’re consuming.
 
At first glance, the most noticeable changes to the panel are the calorie count and serving size which appear in a bolder, larger font.   Another significant change includes a newly introduced requirement for manufacturers to provide “Total Sugars” and “Added Sugars” in place of the current “Sugars.”

Other key updates based on newer scientific evidence include:  the removal of “Calories from Fat;” a modified list of required nutrients that must be declared on the label; and updated Daily Values for nutrients like sodium, dietary fiber, and vitamin D.

The new regulations will also require “dual-column” labels to indicate both “per-serving” and “per-package” calorie and nutrition information for certain food products that could be reasonably consumed in their entirety or divided into smaller servings.
 
“This new requirement may have some implications for rice products that appear to be single-serve items but in fact are between one and two servings, such as quick heat rice packages,” said Katie Maher, USA Rice director of domestic promotion.  “It is likely that products fitting this description will need to display the ‘dual-column’ labels so consumers understand how many calories and nutrients they are getting if they eat the entire package instead of the defined serving size.”

USA Rice Retail Subcommittee Chairman and Senior Vice President of Marketing for Riviana Foods Paul Galvani says the FDA’s nutrition facts panel updates are very timely, stating that, “today’s consumers are hungry for information and looking for transparency when it comes to the foods they eat and these new requirements will provide more clarity so people can make informed choices for themselves and their families.”

Manufacturers will have until July 26, 2018 to comply with the final requirements, and those with less than $10 million in annual food sales will have an additional year to make the changes.


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