Ahead of Inauguration Day, the Food and Drug Administration has proposed requiring a front-of-package nutrition label on most packaged foods to provide accessible, at-a-glance information.
The FDA says that this change will help consumers to quickly and easily identify how foods can be part of a healthy diet. The proposed FOP nutrition label, referred to as the Nutrition Info box, would complement the Nutrition Facts label that is required on most food packages.
Displaying simplified, at-a-glance nutrition information that details and interprets the saturated fat, sodium, and added sugar content of a food as “Low,” “Med,” or “High” on the front of food packages would provide consumers with an accessible description of the numerical information found in the Nutrition Facts label.
Current federal dietary recommendations advise U.S. consumers to limit these three nutrients to achieve a nutrient-dense diet within calorie limits.
While calories would not be included in the Nutrition Info box, a manufacturer could voluntarily declare calories on the front of the food package, per existing FDA regulations.
“The science on saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars is clear,” said FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, M.D. “Nearly everyone knows or cares for someone with a chronic disease that is due, in part, to the food we eat. It is time we make it easier for consumers to glance, grab and go. Adding front-of-package nutrition labeling to most packaged foods would do that. We are fully committed to pulling all the levers available to the FDA to make nutrition information readily accessible as part of our efforts to promote public health.”
The proposed Nutrition Info box is part of the White House National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health to reduce diet-related diseases by 2030. The Nutrition Info box, the recently updated “healthy” claim, the FDA’s work to develop a “healthy” symbol, and the draft Phase II voluntary sodium reduction targets are key aspects of a government-wide approach to improving nutrition and reducing chronic diseases in the U.S.
The FDA conducted consumer focus groups, a scientific literature review, and a peer-reviewed experimental study to gather insights. In an experimental study involving nearly 10,000 U.S. adults, the agency evaluated three different label designs. The results showed that a black-and-white “Nutrition Info” label featuring percent “Daily Value” was the most effective in helping consumers identify healthier food choices.
The FDA says that these efforts can help consumers more easily identify foods recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. They may assist them in reducing their consumption of certain nutrients that can be found in foods that are commonly considered ultra-processed.
“Food should be a vehicle for wellness, not a contributor of chronic disease,” said Jim Jones, FDA deputy commissioner for human foods, in a statement. “In addition to our goal of providing information to consumers, it’s possible we’ll see manufacturers reformulate products to be healthier in response to front-of-package nutrition labeling.”
The proposed rule, if finalized, would require food manufacturers to add a Nutrition Info box to most packaged food products three years after the final rule’s effective date for businesses with $10 million or more in annual food sales and four years after the final rule’s effective date for businesses with less than $10 million in annual food sales.
Comments on the proposed rule can be submitted electronically on www.regulations.gov by May 16, 2025.
