Menu Labeling Simplified by FDA 
​​[Posted on: Thursday, November 9, 2017]

FDA works hard to create all its Guidance documents but occasionally you come across a master piece, an exceptional Guidance Doc that meets all one could wish for, or at least tries to give everyone everything. In one such Guidance document released this week, FDA presented how diverse food providers such as restaurants, buffet style self-service food providers, custom pizza places, and many others can meet the FDA requirements for calorie information on the menu labeling. The guidance document prepared in a Q&A format gives very useful, easy to read instructions with pictures and other illustrations to help businesses meet the current FDA requirements. Calorie count is one of the most important and well understood nutritional information about any food and is very important to educate consumers trying to manage their dietary intake. Since the publication of the federal law regarding nutrition labeling of standard menu items in restaurants and similar retail food establishments in 2014, restaurants and small food vendors have struggled to fully understand and apply the FDA requirements. The new Guidance document is based on several comments received by FDA over the last 3 years and provides precise advice about various situations common at food service locations. The guidance includes several specific examples with pictures that the target audience could relate with. Readers of all skills should be able to understand most requirements easily and without much external help. Good job guys, at FDA!