Dive Brief:
- The FDA announced Friday it is suggesting a requirement that food labels include a "percent daily value" of added sugar.
- This follows a March 2014 move where the FDA proposed putting the amount of added sugars in grams on Nutrition Facts labels.
- The FDA also is suggesting a footnote update for the Nutrition Facts label to educate consumers on percent daily values.
Dive Insight:
"For the past decade, consumers have been advised to reduce their intake of added sugars, and the proposed percent daily value for added sugars on the Nutrition Facts label is intended to help consumers follow that advice," according to Susan Mayne, director of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
Nutrition experts are fans of the proposal, though companies with heaps of added-sugar products might not be too keen on it. Mars isn't one of those companies, at least in reference to labeling added sugar. It says transparency would help consumers.
Starting Monday, the FDA is looking for comments from the public for 75 days, in addition to still sorting through comments on its 2014 proposal. Before a rule is finalized it will consider thoughts on the original proposal as well.