FDA Proposes Nutrition Facts Labeling for Added Sugars

If finalized, the SPR will require Nutrition Facts labels to include declarations for “added sugars,” which are generally defined as sugars and syrups that are added to foods during processing or preparation. Specifically, this rule would establish a daily Value or Daily Reference Value (DRV) of 10 percent of total energy intake from added sugars and require the Nutrition Facts label of packaged foods to declare the DRV for added sugars. A link to the SPR can be found here.

FDA regulations currently require food Nutrition Facts labels to list the DRV for total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrate, dietary fiber, calcium, and iron, as the DRV indicates how much a nutrient in one serving of food contributes to a daily diet. Under the SPR, the requirements to list a DRV would be extended to include added sugars. FDA is making this proposal based a recommendation of the Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee that the daily intake of calories from added sugars not exceed 10 percent of total calories.

The SPR also proposes text for footnotes to be used on Nutrition Facts labels, with the intended purpose of helping consumers understand the DRV concept more clearly. The proposed statement on the label is: “*The percent daily value (%DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.”

Such food labeling changes, once enacted, will require food manufacturers and marketers to update their food labels to comply with FDA’s revised food labeling requirements. Indeed, the FDA estimates that these new nutritional labeling requirements will generate annualized costs of between $8 to $10 million, industry-wide.

FDA is accepting comments to the SPR up until October 13, 2015.