Milling & Baking News - December 23, 2003 - 17

I N D U S T R Y

G.M.A. cautions on need for
realistic food labeling changes
Continued from Page 1
make small but continuous and cumulative changes to their diets that will really
impact their health for the better," Ms.
Kretser said.
The report recommended that the
Food and Drug Administration consider
reducing the Recommended Daily Intake of saturated fat to as low as 3% to
5% of daily caloric intake, down from the
current 10% recommendation.
At the same time, the report acknowledged that its recommendations should
be "evaluated against achievable healthpromoting diets that may be more realistic." Most Americans get 12% of their
calories from saturated fat, according to
government consumption surveys.
"It is critical that we use the best science
available to us now to improve nutrition
labeling," Ms. Kretser said. "What we
must keep in mind is the need for realistic
dietary goals that will help Americans
make their next steps toward maintaining
a healthy weight and reducing their risk
for preventable chronic diseases."

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The report will be used by F.D.A. and
Canadian agencies to determine what
additional research is necessary as well as
what labeling changes are appropriate.
The N.A.S. report said nutrition labeling in the U.S. and Canada should
be updated to reflect current Dietary
Reference Intake values developed in
the 1990s. Most nutrient reference values used in food labeling in the United
States are based on Recommended Daily
Allowances from 1968.
Information on Nutrition Facts boxes
should continue to be expressed as per
cent Daily Values, which allow consumers to readily understand how particular
foods fit into the context of a healthy diet,
the report said. The boxes should display
a single reference value for each nutrient,
and this value should be relevant for
healthy individuals ages 4 and older, excluding pregnant or lactating women.
Among other guiding principles recommended by the committee were:
* Daily Values for saturated fatty
acids, trans fatty acids, and cholesterol

A C T I V I T I E S

should be set at the lowest level possible
in the context of an achievable diet that
promotes health.
* Absolute values for all nutrients, in
grams or milligrams, should be included
in Nutrition Facts boxes on food and
dietary supplements to help people
who want to consume specific amounts
of a particular nutrient, and to improve
consistency between food and dietary
supplement labeling.
The committee offered several principles, informed by Dietary Reference
Intake reports, to guide discretionary
fortification in the future, including:
* The scientific justification for fortifying foods should be based on documented public health needs, especially
dietary inadequacies in particular populations. Regulatory agencies should
develop criteria for deciding when evidence of dietary inadequacy indicates a
documented public health need.
* When gauging how a population's
exposure to certain nutrients would be
altered by discretionary fortification of
particular foods or supplements, agencies should consider the adverse effects
that may result when tolerable upper
intake levels are exceeded. MBN

Milling & Baking News, December 23, 2003 / 17

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Milling & Baking News - December 23, 2003

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