Helping consumers to choose more healthful foods has always been a priority at USDA. Since 1916, when the first food guide was published, Americans have depended on USDA for sound dietary advice. But putting that advice into practice hasn't always been easy. As more products appear on supermarket shelves, finding out what's in the food can be a challenge for consumers. Food labels provide helpful information, but confusing statements and incomplete information have frustrated consumers for years.

The good news for consumers is that the new food label is here. USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), which regulates meat and poultry safety and labeling, has worked closely with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which regulates other foods, to develop one label that gives consumers the information they need to make healthy food choices. By the summer of 1994, most processed products—from frankfurters to frozen waffles—will be required to carry the new nutrition label. The new labels may appear on some products even sooner. A voluntary nutrition labeling program has been established for raw produce and raw meat, fish, and poultry. Even though nutrition labeling is voluntary for these foods, the program carries strong incentives for retailers to participate. Both USDA and FDA will study retailer participation to determine if the program should become mandatory.

Getting Here From There

Nutrition labeling is not new. For many years, manufacturers have been encouraged to provide nutrition information on food labels. Since 1973, FSIS has required nutrition information on labels when nutrition-related claims are made, for example about fat or sodium content. The current label reform effort began in 1989, when USDA and HHS jointly sponsored a study by the National Academy of Sciences to provide options for improving food labeling. In November 1991, FSIS issued a regulatory proposal for a mandatory nutrition labeling program for processed meat and poultry and voluntary guidelines for fresh meat and poultry products. FDA simultaneously proposed regulations on nutrition labeling for foods other than meat and poultry to comply with the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990. While FSIS was not required by this legislation to issue regulations for meat and poultry, the agency chose to initiate the requirement. After soliciting public input through hearings and comments in response to regulatory proposals, FSIS and FDA issued final nutrition labeling regulations on January 6, 1993.

Why the Changes?

The new nutrition label addresses today's public health priorities, in which conditions linked in part to diet, such as heart disease and some forms of cancer, have become much more prevalent than nutritional deficiency diseases of past generations, such as scurvy. The new label provides more specific information on fat, for instance, detailing how much saturated fat and cholesterol are in the product. It can be useful as a tool for nutrition education in combination with other efforts. The new label also provides food companies with an incentive to improve the nutritional quality of their products.

What's New?

1. Serving sizes are now more uniform for over 150 food categories, consistent across product lines, and closer to the amounts people actually eat. They also must be expressed in both metric measures and common household measures such as cups, pieces, or ounces.
2. The list of nutrients identifies those that are essential to health and makes it easier for consumers to meet dietary recommendations and to determine how foods meet their own individual needs. Manufacturers are now required to list total calories, calories from fat, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrate, dietary fiber, sugars, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and iron. Other nutrients may be listed on a voluntary basis.
3. The term "Daily Value" will be used to place the nutrition information on the label in the context of a total diet. These numbers provide guidance for the amount of each nutrient Americans should eat per day. Some are maximums, as with fat; others are recommended minimums, as with carbohydrates. The daily values are based on a daily diet of 2,000 calories, which is appropriate for most women, including teenage girls, and some sedentary men. The footnote provides daily values for a 2,500 calorie diet, which may be closer to what most men, teenage boys, and active women should consume. Individuals should adjust the values to fit their own caloric needs.
4. Nutrient content claims such as light" and "lean" have long been used on food labels, but their meanings have been vague. Now specific definitions for the following terms have been set "free," "more," "low," "less," "reduced," "light," "high," and "good source of." Two additional nutrient content claims—"lean" and "extra lean"—are available for meat, poultry, fish, and game products.
5. FDA is allowing health claims for seven relationships between a nutrient or food and the reduced risk of a disease or health-related condition. FSIS is studying the issue of health claims for meat and poultry products and will issue regulations in the future.

How To Use the New Label To Choose a Healthful Diet

The Dietary Guidelines suggest that you choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol, moderate in sodium and sugar, and containing plenty of vegetables, fruits, and grain products. A few tips for using the new food labels to choose such a diet are provided below.

• Look for nutrient content claims such as "free," "low," or "reduced" on the front of the label to help identify foods which are low in calories, fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium. Claims such as "good source" and "high" can help you find foods that contain significant amounts of the dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals that you need. However, you don't have to select only foods with these claims on the label. In moderation, all foods can fit into a healthful diet.
• The required nutrition information on the new labels can also help you find foods that are low in fat and saturated fat. The Dietary Guidelines suggest you eat a diet that provides 30 percent or fewer calories from fat and less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fat. Thus, the recommended upper limit on the grams of fat and saturated fat in your diet depends on the calories you need. The "96 Daily Value" information listed on the label is based on an intake of 2,000 calories, which is about right for many women, teenage girls, and some sedentary men. If you fit into one of these categories, you can simply monitor the "% Daily Value" information from the foods you eat so the total is close to or less than 100% over the day.
• If you do not fit into one of these categories, you will need to determine your own target levels of fat and saturated fat depending on your caloric requirement. Target levels of fat and saturated fat intake for several calorie levels are provided. Many older adults, children, and sedentary women need fewer than 2,000 calories per day. Many teenage boys, most men, and active women need more than 2,000 calories per day. The actual amount of fat and saturated fat contained in one serving of a food are listed immediately after the nutrient name, such as "Total fat 13 g." Some people keep a running total of the amount of fat and saturated fat they eat in a day and compare it to their target level.
• The "% Daily Value" information may also be used to help you moderate your intake of sodium and cholesterol. The daily values for sodium (less than 2,400 mg) and cholesterol (less than 300 mg) are the same for everyone, so you do not have to make any adjustments based on your caloric needs.

Balance Is the Key

It's important to note that you don't have to completely avoid foods that are high in fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium. It's your average intake over a few days, not in a single food or even a single meal, that's important. For example, if you eat a high-fat food or meal, balance your intake by choosing low-fat foods the rest of the day or the next day. You can use food labels to help you plan meals and budget your intake of fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium over several days.

Take the time to read food labels. You'll find lots of new information that can help you plan a healthful diet.

Public Education

FSIS and FDA are working together with other Government agencies—including USDA's Human Nutrition Information Service, Food and Nutrition Service, and Extension Service—and a variety of professional, consumer, and trade associations to educate the public on the new nutrition label. A particular goal of the National Exchange for Food Labeling Education (NEFLE) is to see that as many Americans as possible learn to use the new label—particularly special populations such as older Americans, ethnic minorities, children, persons with special dietary needs, and persons with low reading skills.

A key feature of the Exchange is the USDA/FDA Food Labeling Education Information Center within the Food and Nutrition Information Center of USDA's National Agricultural Library. The Center maintains a database on consumer education projects and current research on label education. FSIS and FDA encourage educators to contact the Center before beginning projects, to seek possible partners and avoid duplication.

The label education effort has two phases. First, people need to become comfortable with the new label and terms. They can then learn how to use the label to choose a healthful diet. The Food and Drug Administration, in conjunction with FSIS, is preparing a brochure to help consumers understand the new label. Single copies are available from FDA, HF-E-88, Rockville, MD 20857, or from FSIS Publications, Room 1180-South, Washington, DC 20250.

The Human Nutrition Information Service is preparing two publications with more information on using the new food labels to choose a healthful diet. One publication is a comprehensive reference for professionals who write for consumers; the other is a brochure for consumers to use directly. For more information about either of these publications, write to: Nutrition Education Research Branch, Human Nutrition Information Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Federal Building, Room 353, 6505 Belcrest Rd., Hyattsville, MD 20782.

The following contacts can provide more information on the new nutrition label: your local county Cooperative Extension Service, State land-grant universities, the National Agricultural Library's Food Labeling Education Information Center, FDA regional public affairs specialists, FSIS's Office of Public Awareness (which includes USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline, 1-800-535-4555), and HNIS's Nutrition Education Research Branch (address above).

Mike Espy

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