New nutrition labeling on the horizon

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25 (UPI) -- The U.S. food industry is touting its new nutrition labeling system as a boon to healthier eating but a non-profit group says it relies on "confusing icons."

"Today, the industry is striking out again with its new front-of-package Nutrition Keys. It's a scheme consisting of confusing icons that will be largely ignored by consumers," Michael F. Jacobson, executive director of The Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington says in a statement. "It's unfortunate the industry wouldn't adopt a more effective system or simply wait until the Food and Drug Administration developed a system that would be as useful to consumers as possible."

The Nutrition Keys system appears to be designed to distract consumers' attention from, not highlight, the high content of sodium, added sugars or saturated fat in many processed foods, Jacobson says.

Pamela G. Bailey, president and chief executive officer of the Grocery Manufacturers Association, says the Nutrition Keys program was developed in response to a request from first lady Michelle Obama last March.

The Nutrition Keys program will change the look of the vast majority of the country's most popular food and beverage products by placing important nutrition information -- calories, saturated fat, sodium and total sugars content -- on the front of packages.

The icon will inform consumers about how the key nutrients in each product fit into a balanced and healthy diet as part of the federal government's daily dietary advice, Bailey says.