by Shraddha Parakh

Many organizations in the United States demand to establish mandatory Front of Packaging (FOP) as a simple, standardized, evidence-based, labeling system for all packaged foods sold in the United States.

Now three associations CSPI (cspinet.org/), Association of SNAP Nutrition Education Administrators, and the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists submitted petitions to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to implement a mandatory Front of Packaging labeling system in the USA. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, consumers should be able to identify at a glance if a food or beverage contains a significant number of added sugars, sodium, or saturated fat. According to Dr. Peter G Lune, the president of the Centre for Science of Public Interest and former Associate Commissioner of FDA   The front of packaging helps shopping for healthy foods should be as easy as possible, and front-of-package nutrition labels have a proven track record for helping consumers make better choices

 Health Canada now implemented new nutrition labeling regulations for packaged foods requiring a symbol on the front of packages indicating that a food is high in saturated fat, sugars, and/or sodium. The regulations will come into effect on July 20, 2022. According to these regulations, a new sign must be shown on the front of packaged foods that are excessive in sodium, sugar, or saturated fat. The new nutrition symbol features a magnifying glass and wording to highlight significant facts that Canadians should take into account while they are purchasing food. The symbol will be in harmony with the Nutrition Facts table shown on the product packaging’s rear. Scientists and health organizations such as the WHO, universally acknowledge front-of-package nutrition labeling as a useful tool for assisting people in making good decisions. The FOP nutrition symbol will complement the Nutrition Facts table, displayed on the back of food packages, to help Canadians make more informed food choices.

 FOP labeling is one of the best policy tools that can assist in rebalancing unhealthful food environments is nutrition labeling. FOPNL stands for front-of-package nutrition labeling systems, which are intended to help consumers choose healthier foods at the point of purchase by providing clear and concise nutritional information. Consumers can quickly and easily distinguish between healthy and harmful food and drink options at the moment of purchase. individuals require a simple method for making healthy purchases.

Dealing with nutrition and diet-related health issues has become a top priority for both food marketers and legislators around the world as a result of the fact that many consumers struggle with health issues related to food intakes, such as obesity, diabetes, and heart and coronary diseases. People in the United States continue to have relatively low food quality and a high incidence of diet-related chronic disease despite decades of public health initiatives. According to government survey data, Americans generally consume too many calories, added sugars, sodium, and saturated fat while ingesting too little fruit, vegetable, and whole grain. Current food labels create confusion and fail to provide important, useful information to consumers. The introduction of front-of-package labeling is a positive development that will improve customer understanding of the ingredients in the food they purchase. Giving consumers more precise information about the nutritional value of food goods is one strategy that is frequently advocated for encouraging them to eat healthier foods. 

Food producers must meet consumer demand as well as continue to improve their products as consumers become more conscious of what they are putting in their bodies

Food labeling needs to receive more attention as it has been determined that nutrition is the biggest modifiable risk factor for the rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which are responsible for 71 percent of deaths worldwide. As a result, Front-of-Package (FoP) labels are effective tools for raising consumer knowledge of the nutritional value of foods and promoting healthier choices. The effectiveness of a label may be impacted by its design. Front-of-package (FOP) nutrition labels are intended to present nutrition information in more comprehensible formats as customers continue to deal with problems associated with unhealthy eating. Numerous FOP labels are available in the market, but it is still uncertain how each one will affect consumers’ perceptions and behavior. Evidence suggests that customers favor FOPNLs that are visible and understandable at a glance.

Front-of-package (FOP) food labels are symbols, schemes, or systems intended to provide clear and helpful nutrition-related information to customers to support healthier food choices. In comparison to more complicated or difficult-to-read ingredient lists and nutrition information, a variety of FOP labels have become extensively used internationally and may be more effective at conveying information and changing consumer behavior.

Interpretive front-of-package nutrition labeling has been shown to improve customer knowledge and promote healthier diets in the real world. Such studies have demonstrated that nutrient warnings, which indicate items high in overconsumed nutrients, and traffic-light symbols, which indicate products high, medium, or low in overconsumed nutrients, help consumers make better decisions than Nutrition Facts labels alone. According to CSPI, nutrient warnings have been more successful at encouraging customers to choose healthier foods in the randomized studies.

.