Michelle Obama and FDA Announce Major Food Labeling Changes

First lady Michelle Obama joined with the Food and Drug Administration in announcing the first major change to food labeling requirements in over 20 years on Friday.

The significant changes include increasing the print size, requiring food producers to include “added sugar,” and adjusting the “serving size” listed “to better align with the amount consumers actually eat.”

The new labels will also include both “per serving” and “per package” calorie and nutrition information.

Further, companies are no longer required to place the amount of vitamin C or vitamin A, because deficiencies in either are very rare among Americans. However, vitamin D and potassium have been added to the nutrients that must be shown.

Michelle Obama and the FDA first rolled out the then proposed changes in 2014 as part of the first lady’s “Let’s Move” campaign, aimed at addressing health issues such as obesity and heart disease.

“Our guiding principle here is very simple: that you as a parent and a consumer should be able to walk into your local grocery store, pick up an item off the shelf, and be able to tell whether it’s good for your family,” Obama said at that time. “So this is a big deal, and it’s going to make a big difference for families all across this country.”

FDA Commissioner Robert Califf said in announcing the changes on Friday, “The updated label makes improvements to this valuable resource so consumers can make more informed food choices — one of the most important steps a person can take to reduce the risk of heart disease and obesity.”

“Manufacturers will have until July 26, 2018 to comply with the final requirements, and manufacturers with less than $10 million in annual food sales will have an additional year to make the changes,” the FDA stated in its release. (For more from the author of “Michelle Obama and FDA Announce Major Food Labeling Changes” please click HERE)

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