ABA received notice today that the FDA has granted food manufacturers a six-month enforcement discretion for the new Nutrition Facts Labeling (NFL) rules.

“The baking industry has always been transparent with its customers and consumers. Product labeling is an important component to helping customers and consumers to make informed choices about the products they buy to feed their families,” said Robb MacKie, president & CEO of the American Bakers Association. “ABA is pleased our members will be given more flexibility in order to meet the new labeling requirements.” 

Three weeks ago, ABA—as part of the Food & Beverage Issue Alliance (FBIA)—requested enforcement discretion for the new Nutrition Facts Labeling rules. Through dialogue with their members, they learned that 20-30 percent of product would need additional time for the substantial label changes.  Because of this request, and others like it, the FDA will work cooperatively with manufacturers to meet the new requirements and will not focus on enforcement actions regarding the new NFL requirements for the first 6 months following the January 1, 2020 compliance date. The FDA has also added a Q&A section to their website to inform industry of their intentions. Members may contact ABA Government Relations or the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Outreach and Information Center to assist in understanding and complying with the required change to the NFL.