The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which is responsible for issuing regulations governing the recently passed federal menu labeling law, is seeking public comment as part of the process.
The federal agency is encouraging members of the food and foodservice industries, state and local governments, consumers and other interested individuals to offer comments and suggestions about menu labeling in docket number FDA-2010-N-0298. Comments can be logged at www.regulations.gov.
The FDA is charged by law to issue regulations and guidance to implement menu labeling provisions by March 23, 2011. The docket opened for comments at noon Wednesday and will remain open for 60 days.
The law, a provision of the Affordable Care Act that was passed earlier this year, requires restaurants that are part of a chain with 20 or more locations to post calorie content and other nutrition information on menus and menu boards.
Restaurants that fall under the requirements also must offer other nutrition information, including total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrates and others in writing upon request.
Contact Paul Frumkin at [email protected].
