The Nutrition Facts Label is Changing: What’s
Changing and Why it Matters
September 13, 2016
Welcome!
Kathy Wiemer, MS, RD
Senior Fellow
www.bellinstitute.com
Today’s Presenters
7
Maureen Storey, PhD
Principal and Sole Member
Maureen Storey, LLC
Joan Salge Blake,
EdD, RDN, LDN, FAND
Associate Professor
Boston University
History of the Nutrition Facts Label
and the
New Label Changes Explained
Maureen Storey, PhD
Principal and Sole Member, Maureen Storey, LLC
5
Timeline: Nutrition Facts Label
1980
FDA first
involved
in major
initiative
to
improve
content
& format
of food
labels
1990
Jan ‘08
Nutrition
Labeling &
Education
Act (NLEA)
requires
nutrition
labeling of
most foods
Third FDA
ANPRM
Comment
Period
End
Mar-Aug ‘14
FDA Comment
Period for Two
Proposed
Rules (NFP and
RACC)
Jul-Aug ‘15
May ‘16
FDA Comment
Period for
Supplemental
Rules (%DV for
added sugar)
FDA Final
Rules
Published
July 26, 2018
Compliance
Deadline
Overview: Nutrition Facts Label
Purpose of Nutrition Labeling
•
Help the public make informed
choices
•
Reflect current nutrition science
and public health concerns
Nutrition Label Reform (NLR)
•
Biggest change to Nutrition Facts
Label since NLEA* 20+ years ago
- FDA has been working on NLR since
~2002
•
Label changes will impact every
product in the marketplace
•
Changes meant to better reflect
the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines
•
Deadline for compliance is July
26, 2018
*NLEA = Nutrition Labeling and Education Act
7
Snapshot: Changes to Nutrition Facts Label
Current Label
New Label
Changes at a Glance…
 Increased prominence of
calories and servings
 Multiple Daily Value
Changes
 Added Sugars Declaration
and % Daily Value
 Changes to mandatory
Vitamins/Minerals
 Declaration of absolute
amounts of
Vitamins/Minerals
AND, there are more
changes…
A Dive into the Nutrition
Facts Label Changes
What’s Changing: Dietary Fiber
Daily Value increased from 25g
to 28g
Caloric value reduced from 4 to
2 kcal/g for non-digestible
soluble carbohydrate
New Label
What’s Changing: Dietary Fiber
New Label
Daily Value increased from 25g
to 28g
Caloric value reduced from 4 to
2 kcal/g for non-digestible
soluble carbohydrate
Regulatory definition of
Dietary Fiber established:
Reflects fibers that are beneficial to
human health
Fibers recognized by FDA
Intact &
intrinsic fibers:
o
o
bran
fiber in whole
grains
Isolated &
synthetic fibers:
o
o
o
o
o
o
beta glucan
psyllium husk
cellulose
guar gum
pectin
locust bean gum
What’s Changing: Dietary Fiber
There’s more to come:
“FDA issuing guidance document regarding
fiber petition process & solicitingIntact
comments
on
&
fiber science review”
intrinsic fibers:
o
o
bran
fiber in whole
grains
What’s Changing: Total Sugars & Added Sugars
Label declaration change from
“Sugars” to “Total Sugars”
Required declaration of
“Includes Xg Added Sugars”
“Added Sugars” Daily Value of
50g established (<10% of a 2,000
calorie diet)
New Label
What’s Changing: Total Sugars & Added Sugars
Label declaration change from
New Label
“Sugars” to “Total Sugars”
Required declaration of
“Includes Xg Added Sugars”
“Added Sugars” Daily Value of
50g established (<10% of a 2,000
calorie diet)
“Added Sugars“ Definition:
sugars added during the
processing of foods or packaged
as such:
 Sugars (free, mono-, disaccharides)
 Sugars from Syrups and Honey
 Sugars from concentrated fruit or
vegetable juices in excess of single
strength juice
What’s Changing: Total Sugars & Added Sugars
There’s more to come:
“FDA issuing guidance on what will be
considered Added Sugars”
What’s Changing: Fat & Carbohydrates
Fat
• Daily value (DV) for Total Fat increased
from 65g to 78g
• Removal of “Calories from Fat”
Carbohydrates
• DV decreased from 300g to 275g
• Removal of voluntary declaration of
“Other Carbohydrates”
New Label
What’s Changing: Micronutrients
Mandatory Declaration of the following:
- Vitamin D & Potassium
- Absolute amounts of Vitamins & Minerals
- Quantitative amounts of Vitamin D,
Calcium, Iron, & Potassium
Voluntary Declaration of the Following:
- Vitamin A & C (unless making a claim)
New Label
What’s Changing: Daily Values (DV)
Nutrient
Current DV
New Daily Value
Dietary Fiber
25g
28g
Vitamin C
60mg
90mg
Vitamin D
400IU
20mcg (800 IU)
Potassium
3,500mg
4,700mg
Calcium
1,000mg
1,300mg
Sodium
2,400mg
2,300mg
Iron
18mg
18mg
Folate
400µg
400µg DFE3
Total Fat
65g
78g
Total Carbohydrate
300g
275g
Protein
50g
50g
Change
What’s Changing:
Reference Amounts Customarily Consumed (RACC)
Some RACC sizes changing
Category
Current
RACC
New
RACC
Yogurt
220g (8oz)
170g (6oz)
Cereal
30g, 55g
40g, 60g
Bagels
55g
110g
Ice Cream
½ cup
2/3 cup
Soda
8oz
12oz
Change
New RACC categories
- Appetizers (55g)
- Dried soup mixes/bouillons (to make
245g)
- Dried seaweed sheets (3g)
6oz
(170g)
What’s Changing: Single-Serving Definition
Requires all containers less than
2 servings to label nutrition per
entire container
•
Example: Soda
Single-Serving Container
What’s Changing: Dual-Column Labeling
Required for all containers
with 2-3 servings
•
Example: Ready-to-Eat
Snack Mix
New Dual-Column Label
Educating your clients on the New
Nutrition Facts Label:
Using the Nutrition Facts Label to make better food choices
Joan Salge Blake, EdD, RD, LDN, FAND
Associate Professor, Boston University
Using the Nutrition Facts Label
• Nutrition Facts Label is a tool to
help consumers put dietary
guidance into practice!
 Some Examples:
•
Increased prominence of calories on
the label will help consumers put food
products in context of their total daily
needs nutrient density and calorie
intake
•
Mandatory declaration of underconsumed nutrients will help consumers
identify good and excellent sources of
key nutrients
•
Addition of Total Sugars will help
consumers meet the Dietary Guidelines
recommendation of limiting Added
Sugars to <10% of calories/day
Dietary Fiber
Recap of Label Changes:
• Daily Value (DV) increased to 28g
• New definition of Dietary Fiber
How to Apply It?
Locate Dietary Fiber on the Label!
 “Good Source of Fiber” = 10% to 19% of the DV per RACC
 “Excellent Source of Fiber” = 20% or higher of the DV per RACC
New Label
Total Sugars & Added Sugars
Recap of Label Changes:
• Change from “Sugars” to “Total Sugars”
• Required declaration of “Includes Xg
Added Sugars”
24
New Label
Total Sugars & Added Sugars
Recap of Label Changes:
• Change from “Sugars” to “Total Sugars”
• Required declaration of “Includes Xg
Added Sugars”
How to Apply It?
Focus on Total Sugars
Consider nutrient density and in context
of total diet

Dietary Guidelines recognizes that
nutrient-dense foods with added
sugars are OK within limits (e.g. fatfree yogurt and whole-grain
breakfast cereals)
25
New Label
Fat & Carbohydrates
Recap of Label Changes:
• Fat
- Daily value increased to 78g
- Removal of “Calories from Fat”
• Carbohydrates
- Daily Value decreased to 275g
26
Fat & Carbohydrates
Recap of Label Changes:
• Fat
27
Current Label
- Daily value increased to 78g
- Removal of “Calories from Fat”
• Carbohydrates
- Daily Value decreased to 275g
How to Apply It?
4%
Read labels

Product may not have changed, but %
DV may decrease for fat and increase for
carbohydrates in products
Continue to get a variety of food sources

Follow the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines
recommendation for Fat and
Carbohydrates.
8%
Micronutrients
Recap of Label Changes:
• Mandatory Declaration of the following:
- Vitamin D & Potassium
- Absolute amounts of Vitamins & Minerals
- Quantitative amounts of Vitamin D, Calcium, Iron,
Potassium
• Voluntary Declaration of the Following:
- Vitamin A & C (unless making a claim)
How to Apply It?
Use the label to determine the product
attributes that are most important to the
individual
“Good Source” = Vitamin D
“Excellent Source” = Calcium and Iron
28
Micronutrients
Recap of Label Changes:
• Mandatory Declaration of the following:
- Vitamin D & Potassium
- Absolute amounts of Vitamins & Minerals
- Quantitative amounts of Vitamin D, Calcium, Iron,
Potassium
• Voluntary Declaration of the Following:
- Vitamin A & C (unless making a claim)
How to Apply It?
Use the label to determine the product
attributes that are most important to the
individual
“Good Source” = Vitamin D
“Excellent Source” = Calcium and Iron
29
Single-Servings
30
Recap of Label Changes:
• Requires all containers less
than 2 servings to label
nutrition per entire container
How to Apply It?
Read labels
 Pay attention to serving size
and servings per container
 Calories count!
Single-Serving Container
Dual-Column Labeling
31
Recap of Label Changes:
• New Dual-Column labeling required
for all containers with 2-3 servings
How to Apply It?
Read labels
 Pay attention to serving size and
servings per container
 Calories count!
New Dual-Column Label
Example: Dual-Column Label
Current Label
New Label
*New labels are for illustrative purposes only. Additional interpretation and vendor information may impact final values.
Visit Us At bellinstitute.com For More FREE Health &
Nutrition Resources!
References
 Food and Drug Administration (Slides 5-33)
 McGill, C.R., et al., Ten-Year trends in fiber and whole grain
intakes and food sources for the United States population:
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001-2010.
Nutrients, 2015. 7(2): p.119-30 (Slide 26 voiceover)