Industry Group Petitions FDA to Amend Labeling Rules for Low- and No-Calorie Sweeteners

September 3, 2020

“Fueled by revised dietary guidelines and new FDA labeling regulation, supermarkets are suddenly teeming with sugar substitutes in packaged foods. In response, the Sugar Association filed a citizen petition in June asking FDA to update labels of low- and no-calorie sweeteners on food packages to increase accuracy and transparency.

The petition makes four specific requests:

1. Add the term “sweetener” in parentheses after the names of all non-nutritive sweeteners in the ingredient list.
2. Indicate the type and quantity of non-nutritive sweeteners prominently on children’s products.
3. Market labels as no/low/reduced sugar to include the disclosure, “sweetened with [name of sweetener(s)]” under such claims.
4. Disclose on labels the potential gastrointestinal side effects from the consumption of sugar alcohols and some sugar substitutes in foods at the lowest observed effect levels.

The petition follows FDA’s first major change to food label regulation in 27 years. In January, FDA began requiring that manufacturers with $10 million or more of annual food sales list the amount and percent daily value for added sugars on nutrition and supplement facts labels. “Sugars” on the label has also been changed to “Total Sugars” to help consumers understand that “Added Sugars” is a subset of “Total Sugars.”

Read the full article at: https://www.foodqualityandsafety.com/article/industry-group-petitions-fda-to-amend-labeling-rules-for-low-and-no-calorie-sweeteners/