This blog has frequently commented on the need for candy companies to comply with government labeling mandates, which could include alterations to a package to make room for new information. Sugar content has become a major concern for manufacturers recently and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed changes to the rules surrounding sugar labeling on food packaging.
Among these changes is the creation of a daily value for sugar intake aimed at different age groups. For children between one and three years old, the daily value is 25 grams, while those aged four and older are allowed twice as much.
Under these nascent regulations, special footnotes could be used for even younger children, and the phrase “Total Sugars” could be used on labels instead of just “Sugars” to describe food content. Commenters have until October 13 to reply to the proposal, though they can only discuss certain highlighted issues.
In a US News and World Report article about the proposal, David Katz states that the increased FDA attention towards added sugar is a significant part of this new proposed action.
“To some extent, the true value of the FDA proposal may depend on the agency’s capacity to keep the relevant definitions fully current as food industry elements engage in their customary efforts to weave around regulatory constraints,” he writes. He also references additives that “blur the dividing line between ‘added’ and intrinsic sugar,” such as fruit concentrate.
Complying with new changes to food and beverage labels requires printers that are flexible enough to create customized solutions. The Primera LX900 is one example of a reliable candy label printer because it allows the user to make choices that distinguish their product and fit industry norms at the same time.