FDA Commissioner releases statement about considerations when making new guidance on upcoming menu labeling rule.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday, Nov. 7, issued guidance on the Obama administration’s menu labeling rule, noting it took into consideration concerns and questions from the c-stores, supermarkets and pizza franchise owners, among others.
With the release of the guidance, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., also released a statement “on a practical approach to ensuring timely implementation of FDA’s menu labeling rule.”
He noted, “FDA takes seriously the authority Congress granted to us in overseeing federal food labeling standards, including our mandate to make calorie information available on menus.”
He added that the draft guidance issued on Nov 7 is in direct response to comments the FDA received on menu labeling regulation.
“We received feedback from pizza franchise owners, grocery stores, convenience stores and others affected by this rule asking us to provide more clarity and flexibility on several issues that they raised….” He said.
“Supermarket and convenience store managers with self-service buffets or beverage stations asked whether they needed to have an individual sign next to each item with a calorie declaration. While this is one way to comply with the regulation, our draft guidance offers other practical ways to post calories for multiple items on a single sign. For instance, a single sign posting that is visible while consumers are making their selection is one way to comply that may provide additional flexibility for some establishments,” he added.
Read the full statement here.
Menu labeling was initially passed by Congress as part of the Affordable Care Act, and was delayed multiple times. The current compliance date is set for May 7, 2018.
The National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) is currently reviewing the draft guidance.