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FDA Proposes New Cautionary Labels for Fronts of Packaged Food
The new nutrition boxes would warn about the most unhealthy, ultra-processed foods that make up the majority of American diets
Following a wave of scientific and legal pushback against major food companies for their unhealthy ultra-processed foods, the FDA today (Jan. 14) announced a proposal to add new labels to the fronts of most packaged food that would warn consumers of excessive amounts of added sugar, saturated fats and salt (sodium)—three unhealthy ingredients that manufacturers add in copious quantities to help make their products addictive.
FDA officials hope the labeling, which ranks the level of ingredient quantities as “low, medium or high,” will force food manufacturers to reformulate their products to be healthier.
The proposal follows new guidelines issued by the FDA last month that tighten limits on how much added sugar, saturated fats and salt can be included in food products that are marketed as “healthy.” In a requirement that would be funny if it weren’t so sad, the ruling stipulates that a “healthy” product must contain at least one ingredient from a real food group, such as fruits, vegetables, protein foods, dairy, and grains.
