Smart Choices: New Front-of-Package Nutrition Labeling

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Friday, 19 June 2009 14:21

Ann Arbor, Michigan and Bethesda, Maryland, June 2009 – NSF International and the American Society for Nutrition have announced their joint roles in administering a new nutritional front-of-package labeling program, the Smart Choices Program™. This nutrition labeling program will provide manufacturers and retailers with a reliable front-of-pack icon plus calorie information that helps consumers recognize smarter food and beverage products within product categories. The goal of this new labeling program is to bring consistency and clarity to the U.S. marketplace. With the proliferation of front-of-pack labels, there is little uniformity, which often makes it difficult for manufacturers to convey the nutritional benefits of their products and can cause consumer confusion. Companies who have already signed up to participate in the program include ConAgra Foods, General Mills, Kellogg Company, Kraft Foods, PepsiCo, SunMaid and Unilever. The Smart Choices Program will make it easier for consumers to quickly identify products and select smarter food and beverage choices within product categories. It provides an opportunity for manufacturers to communicate with consumers about better-for-you products in a clear and consistent manner. The American Society for Nutrition (ASN) and NSF International will act as program administrators providing both scientific and technical expertise to a board of directors comprised of non-profit, scientific and industry representatives. To qualify for the Smart Choices Program, all products must meet standards for specific “nutrients to limit,” and, for most categories, products must also meet criteria for positive attributes – “nutrients to encourage” or “food groups to encourage.” Specific qualifying criteria were developed for 19 different product categories, such as beverages, cereals, meats, dairy and snacks: • Nutrients to limit: total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, added sugars and sodium • Nutrients to encourage: calcium, potassium, fiber, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E • Food groups to encourage: fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat or fat free dairy The Smart Choices Program is not based on a scoring system; but rather it identifies foods based on science-based nutrition criteria within specific product categories. Products that meet the criteria are eligible to bear the Smart Choices icon on the front of the package. Accompanying the Smart Choices icon will be information on the number of calories per serving, as well as the number of servings in the package. The straight-forward and transparent nutrition criteria distinguish the Smart Choices Program from others in the marketplace. All information is publicly available on the program’s Web site: www.smartchoicesprogram.com. For more information on the Smart Choices Program, contact Sarah Krol, General Manager, Smart Choices Program at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or click here to view the Q&A. The Smart Choices Program was initiated under the leadership of The Keystone Center, a non-profit organization that specializes in creating consensus solutions to public health problems. The Keystone Center organized a diverse group of scientists, academicians, health and research organizations, food manufacturers and retailers that worked collaboratively to develop the program and the nutrition criteria based on a transparent system of publicly available nutrition information. NSF International, an independent, not-for-profit organization, helps protect you by certifying products and writing standards for food, water and consumer goods (www.nsf.org). Founded in 1944, NSF is committed to protecting public health and safety worldwide. NSF is a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Food and Water Safety and Indoor Environment. The American Society for Nutrition (ASN) is the preeminent professional organization for nutrition research scientists and clinicians around the world. ASN is dedicated to bringing together the top nutrition researchers, medical practitioners, policy makers and industry leaders to advance our knowledge and application of nutrition. Founded in 1928, ASN published The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN) and the Journal of Nutrition (JN). Visit ASN online at www.nutrition.org. SOURCE: American Society for Nutrition < Prev   Next >