Last updated on June 13th, 2024 at 05:26 pm
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a “Small Entity Compliance Guide” to assist restaurants and “similar retail food establishments” (including many convenience stores) in understanding the recently updated menu-labeling standards.
The FDA describes the guide, which can be accessed online as a plain language summary of the rule. However, during a congressional hearing on FDA’s budget request that same day, Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) said the guidance “had no real benefit,” and FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said that further guidance would be forthcoming.
According to the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), as a general matter, establishments that are covered by the menu-labeling regulations must post calories for standard menu items on menus or menu boards; for self-service items and foods on display, on signs adjacent to the items. They also will be required to provide additional written nutrition information to consumers upon request.
NACS is working with key members of Congress to revise federal menu-labeling requirements in a manner that accommodates the different business models convenience stores implement to sell food.
