SEATTLE Officials of King County, Wash., have detailed new obligations for the 1,700 local chain restaurants that will be required as of Jan. 1, 2009, to post nutrition information on menus or point-of-purchase materials. The newly disclosed requirements oblige the outlets to document how the calorie, fat, carbohydrate and sodium content of each menu item were calculated, and to provide evidence, if challenged, that the provided information is accurate.
The challenge could come from one of the county’s restaurant inspectors, or as a result of complaints from consumers.
It’s not clear, however, whether incorrect nutrition data could be considered a violation of consumer protection laws, and officials said the attorney general may be asked to weigh in.
The nutrition disclosure requirement extends to local units of chains with at least 15 branches nationwide. King County encompasses Seattle and its suburbs.