FDA is relaxing its nutrition labeling requirements so that restaurants and manufacturers with food labeled for restaurant use can sell packaged products directly to their customers and other businesses.
“We have seen consumers shifting their food purchasing patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic. A lot more food is being purchased in grocery and retail stores, and less from restaurants,” says Nathan Arnold, an FDA spokesperson. “During this public health emergency, food that would have been used by restaurants to prepare restaurant food is now going unused when it potentially could be made available to consumers.”
To facilitate this further distribution of food during the pandemic, FDA is providing flexibility with nutrition labeling for certain packaged foods so this food can be sold directly to consumers. As long as all allergen and ingredient information is listed on the label, the product can be sold as retail.
The unprecedented policy is temporary and is only in effect during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
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