FDA proposes new mini nutrition labels on the front of food without calories or fat

It could soon be harder to ignore the nutritional red flags on your favorite junk food.This week, the Food and Drug Administration unveiled a long-awaited proposal that would require food and drink manufacturers to display nutrition labels on the front of most of their packages, with the goal of helping shoppers make healthier choices as they breeze through grocery store aisles.“It’s time we make it easier for consumers to glance, grab, and go,” FDA Commissioner Robert Califf said in a statement.“Adding front-of-package nutrition labeling to most packaged foods would do that.”Under the proposal, front-of-package labels would indicate how much of the daily recommended intake of those three nutrients is in a serving, and whether the food is “low,” “medium” or “high” in each.The labels would take the form of a black-and-white box — a design chosen after a 2023 FDA study found that it helped people make quicker and more accurate decisions about a food’s healthiness compared to other label styles.The front label wouldn’t replace the existing, more detailed nutrition facts on the back of packages, but would act as a complement to them, according to the FDA. It will be up to the incoming Trump administration whether to finalize the proposal.

Peter G.Lurie, president of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, applauded the move, calling it “long overdue.” He said it could drive healthier consumer choices, push companies to produce healthier products and help combat the growing tide of preventable diseases in the United States.The reception from the food and beverage industry was more chilly.

“The FDA’s proposed rule for front-of-package nutrition labeling appears to be based upon opaque methodology and disregard of industry input and collaboration,” said Sarah Gallo, senior vice president of product policy at the Consumer Brands Association, which represents major manufacturers of packaged goods.  Subscribe to our weekly...