The Nutrition Facts panel will have a new look once the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finalizes its 2014 proposed rule. One of the most significant changes that the new label is likely to feature is an “added sugars” line, declared as a quantitative amount and also expressed as a percent of the daily value.
The “daily value” component was included for the first time in FDA’s supplemental proposal issued this past summer. This feature of the supplemental proposal signals a tentative determination that “added sugars” will be part of a final rule, notwithstanding that some stakeholders had commented to FDA that requiring this information in the Nutrition Facts panel was unnecessary and likely confusing to consumers. We examine the issues in play and the practical challenges the food industry will face if “added sugars” and a daily value for “added sugars” are adopted by FDA.