Jacob It is mandatory for all packaged food in the United States to carry a nutrition facts label. In 2016, the label was updated after twenty years to include information which is relevant to consumers and also make it easier for the consumer to read the information. Some information which is not relevant is removed, while other data is corrected for greater accuracy.
Depending on their sales volume and type of product which they sell, the manufacturers have to make changes in their label by July 1, 2021, or earlier. Some of the information included in the Updated Nutrition Facts Label are listed below.
One of the major additions to the label are that it now includes the micro-nutrients Vitamin D and Potassium,which were not listed earlier. A significant number of people do not include adequate Potassium and Vitamin D in their diet.
Vitamin D is obtained through sun exposure, and less than 10% of the population has enough Potassium, so the information is provided for reference. In contrast most people are having an adequate amount of Vitamin A and C in their diet from multiple sources.Hence these micro-nutrients are no longer included in the nutrition label.
Earlier the label only included the total amount of sugar in the food item. However, the latest research indicates that sugar added to the food while processing is responsible for many of the health problems especially heart disease, liver disease, obesity and diabetes.
The label now includes the added sugar in the food, and daily value percentage, so that the user can decide how much of a particular food he should consume. The serving size and calories are now displayed in a larger font, so that the user can read the information easily. The serving size has been updated to include more realistic information. Fats, calcium,iron, sodium and the daily value of the nutrients are also provided in the label.
