As early as this time next year, popular meats and poultry products will carry nutritional labels like many other foods already do, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The nutritional information will be mandatory on 40 of the most commonly purchased cuts of meat and poultry by January 1, 2012, which will help consumers know more about what they’re eating, the USDA said Wednesday.
“More and more, busy American families want nutrition information that they can quickly and easily understand,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement. “We need to do all we can to provide nutrition labels that will help consumers make informed decisions.”
Whole chickens and boneless chicken breasts, beef tenderloin steaks and brisket, ground beef and turkey and other raw meats will all be sold with the new labels, which will provide information including the number of calories, total grams of fat and saturated fat, percentage of fat and outside ingredients.
“The panels should provide consumers with sufficient information at the store to assess the nutrient content of the major cuts, enabling them to select meat and poultry products that fit into a healthy diet that meets their family’s or their individual needs,” the USDA said.
The measure falls in line with anti-obesity initiatives by the White House and first lady Michelle Obama, who have pushed food manufacturing companies to better label their products and make healthier fare for children.
More on Nutrition Labels
- Are Misleading Nutrition Labels Making You Fat?
- Teaching kids to read nutrition labels
- No surprise: nutrition labels found to give insufficient information
As many as 20 to 35 percent of U.S. adults are thought to be obese, according to the most recent figures available from the Centers for Disease Control and studies by the Journal of the American Medical Association, with the rates higher in some states.
Obesity is a major risk factor for heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers.
The White House, led by U.S. first lady Michelle Obama, has urged food manufacturers to re-package food so that it is healthier for children in an effort to help combat child obesity.
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association said that while consumers should know what’s in their meat, the new labeling regulations require a significant investment of time and money.
“While the NCBA believes consumers have the right to know what nutrients are found in meat, we also realize retailers and others in the food-production chain will face significant new costs associated with this final rule,” Kristina Butts, executive director of legislative affairs, said in a statement. “We wish USDA would have granted our request for an 18- to 24-month implementation period.”
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