Month: November 2016

Nutrition

New to the Nutrition Label: What Are Added Sugars?

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How sweet is it? Beginning July 26, 2018, the true nature of your products’ sugar content will be on display with the new mandatory Added Sugars line on the Nutrition Facts Label. But how do you know what is considered an added sugar? To answer that question, we need to delve into the new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) nutrition labeling requirements.

On July 26, 2016, the FDA released new nutrition labeling regulations, which includes an overhaul of the required Nutrition Facts Label. The new regulations go into effect in July 2018 for large food manufacturers, and July 2019 for food manufacturers with less that $10 million in annual food sales. One of the most notable differences on the new label is the Added Sugars line. This new addition will be located directly beneath the Total Sugars line, which will replace the Sugars line on the old label. Continue Reading

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Food Safety Hazard Analysis

Regulatory Round-Up: New FSMA Guidance Tackles Hazard Disclosure, VQIP

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Implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) regulations will continue despite the outcome of the recent presidential election and suggestions to reduce federal oversight of the food industry. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently published two guidance documents to support industry compliance with upcoming FSMA regulations, including the controversial FSMA requirement for disclosing hazards, and the Voluntary Qualified Importer Program (VQIP).  Continue Reading

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GMOs

A Beginner’s Guide to GMOs

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Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) claims are being spotted more frequently on food labels as the debate over the health of GMO ingredients heats up. Many food manufacturers are trying to get ahead of the regulations by either disclosing the use of GMOs in their products or getting products certified as “Non-GMO.”

Many consumers don’t realize how long GMO foods have been on the market. The first commercially available GMO food made available on the market was a tomato in the 1990s! The rise of GMO foods brought a parallel demand for disclosure on food labels. Continue Reading

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Regulatory Update

Regulatory Round-Up: Industry Seeks Harmonization of Nutrition Compliance Dates

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Industry Seeks Harmonization of FDA Nutrition Mandates 

Responding to food industry requests to harmonize the compliance dates of upcoming food labeling and nutrition initiatives, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently clarified that the compliance dates are already coordinated to take effect in summer 2018.

Industry groups contend, however, that it will be difficult for manufacturers to comply with the revised nutrition labeling rules since the agency has not yet provided key pieces of the regulatory puzzle. Continue Reading

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Menu Labeling

How to Implement Menu Labeling Maintenance

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Take a deep breath. It’s May 5, 2017 and your menu labels are compliant with FDA menu labeling laws. You’re done!

But wait, suddenly you get that feeling – you know, that feeling that you’ve forgotten something…

Menu Maintenance!

Restaurant menu labeling is an ongoing process. After you initially post your nutrition information online and calories on the menu board, your work is not finished. But, we have good news! Menu maintenance doesn’t need to be a painful process for restaurants or food service establishments. To make menu maintenance easier, create a system that includes continuous monitoring and updating of your menu. Continue Reading

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Menu Labeling

5 Steps to Finding Your Restaurant Menu Labeling Experts

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Feeling overwhelmed by new federal menu labeling laws? You’re not alone. Finding a 3rd party partner to work with for compliance can be stressful, but choosing the right partner will allow you to spend your time running your business while still meeting regulation deadlines.

When looking for a team of experts to utilize for your required FDA menu labeling updates, consider these five key attributes: Continue Reading

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