FDA is clarifying the timing of compliance dates for its various nutrition initiatives. In the summer of 2018, manufacturers will have to comply with these key nutrition initiatives:
- On June 18, 2018, manufacturers must ensure that their products no longer contain partially hydrogenated oils for uses that have not been otherwise authorized by FDA.
- On July 26, 2018, manufacturers with $10 million or more in annual food sales will need to comply with the new requirements for the Nutrition Facts label.
- Also on July 26, 2018, vending machine operators with glass-front vending machines will have to comply with all requirements of the vending machine labeling rule. FDA delayed the compliance date for calorie declaration requirements for certain food products sold from glass-front vending machines in part to be consistent with the compliance date for the new Nutrition Facts label requirements so that manufacturers can make changes to front-of-pack labeling for products they supply to vending operators at the same time that they make changes to the Nutrition Facts label.
The targets for sodium reduction that the FDA is developing are voluntary, so there will be no compliance date. However, the agency will recommend timeframes for companies that choose to implement the targets, once finalized.
