Shalala said 91 percent of tests on sample food products in 1996 showed the labels correctly listed nutrition information. That figure is up from 87 percent in 1994.
Consumers count on the food label to get reliable nutrition information.
As we begin a new year, I hope consumers will continue to make even more and better use of the nutrition facts label to help them eat for good health. The results of this and other studies indicate that the food label has met, and in many cases exceeded, the expectations set for it. Basic information on the nutritional content of individual food products has been required on most food labels since 1994. In a standardized format, labels must list amounts per serving of calories, protein, carbohydrates, fiber, fat, cholesterol and other nutrients and vitamins, as well as other information on the nutritive value of the product. Results of the latest survey of label accuracy were reported by FDA, based on more than 2,000 laboratory tests on 300 samples of food products purchased off retail shelves this year.