FDA Proposes to Extend Compliance Dates for Nutrition Facts Label Changes

The Food and Drug Administration is proposing to extend compliance dates by about one and a half years for two recent final rules changing requirements for nutrition facts labeling for food. Under the proposed rule, compliance with the new regulations, which would revise the information required and formatting on nutrition facts labels and increase recommended serving sizes (see 1605200021), would be required by January 2020 for most food manufacturers, and January 2021 for small businesses. The requirements currently take effect in July 2018 and July 2019, respectively. The extension comes in response to concerns from industry about its “ability to update all products by the original compliance dates and the importance of obtaining clarification from the FDA on a number of technical issues relating to the final rules,” FDA said. Comments on the proposed rule are due Nov. 1. FDA says it will “exercise enforcement discretion with respect to the current” compliance dates until it completes its consideration of the extension.