Calorie counts may end up on the front of packages in US. . .

The Obama administration's focus on obesity may be spearheading a change to packaging labels. Portion size is the bane of persons trying to manage their food intake. But when a portion size listed in the nutrition panel on the back of a package is unrealistically small, many people inadvertently consume more calories than they realize. A new proposal from the FDA to list calorie count prominently on the front of a package may address this issue—but only if serving size is likewise addressed. Just this week, the American Beverage Association announced it will voluntarily "make the calories in their products even more clear and consumer-friendly by putting the information on the front of all their packages, vending machines and fountain machines." Non-alcoholic beverage companies—working with the FDA—will begin making labeling changes this year and plan to complete the change by 2012.

Source: www.foodprocessing.com, www.vendingmarketwatch.com