U.S. Food and Drug Administration on modernization of the Nutrition and Supplements Facts labels

Abstract

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) for obtaining public comments on modernizing the Nutrition and Supplements Facts label. Public comments to specific questions asked in the ANPRM will be considered by FDA for future rulemaking. There are numerous issues that FDA will consider during the rulemaking process, such as determining (1) which Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) to use for setting the Daily Values (DVs), (2) the approach for setting a single nutrient DV for adults and children over the age of 4 years, (3) which vitamins and minerals are of public health concern in the United States and therefore required to be declared in the Nutrition Facts label, (4) the definition of certain nutrients, such as total carbohydrate and fiber, (5) the labeling of trans fat, and (6) the use of International Units (IUs) for providing the amount of a vitamin. After reviewing the public comments, as well as any other new relevant information, FDA will publish a proposed rule in the Federal Register that provides the agency's proposed decisions for modernizing the Nutrition and Supplements Facts label. Publication of a final rule, along with the Code of Federal Regulations, will set forth the new regulatory requirements for the Nutrition and Supplements Facts labels.