Front-of-package Nutrition Rating Systems
In October 2010, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Committee on Front-of-Package Nutrition Rating Systems and Symbols (front-of-package, or "FOP" labeling) issued a report examining the advantages and disadvantages of current FOP labeling. The committee found that FOP labeling would be most useful to consumers, if it highlighted the amounts of nutrients of greatest health concern--calories, saturated fat, trans fat and sodium. The report does not include recommendations for a specific FOP system, but it reaches six conclusions, as follows.
1. FOP labeling is best geared toward the general population. However, the committee recognized that an appropriately designed system may be useful for determining products that may be marketed to children and may revisit this issue during Phase II of the study.