FDA to Food Industry: Shape Up on Nutrition Labels or Face the Consequences

(MoneyWatch)  The Food and Drug Administration has put its foot down: the food industry must voluntarily adhere to a reasonable, standardized front-of-label system or risk having one imposed upon it by the government. "If voluntary action ... does not result in a common, credible approach to front-of-package and shelf labelling, we will consider using our regulatory tools toward that end," the agency wrote in a letter.

Note the use of the word "credible." ConAgra, General Mills and a bunch of other companies recently launched the Smart Choices program, which was supposed to be the food industry's solution to nutrition labeling. Unfortunately for these companies, Smart Choices lost credibility after the media picked up on the fact that the program gives top marks to products like Froot Loops.

This is undoubtedly the sort of thing FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg was referring to when she said, "Some nutritionists have questioned whether this information is more marketing-oriented than health-oriented. Judging from some of the labels we've seen, this is a valid concern."

But despite the ridicule, companies continue to defend Smart Choices. A Kraft spokeswoman said the program uses "strict standard[s]" and "any Kraft Foods product that carries the Smart Choices Program symbol must meet these criteria."

UPDATED: The Coca-Cola Company is not part of the Smart Choices program, and references indicating otherwise have been removed.
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