Speaking at the National Food Policy Conference in Washington, DC, in May, FDA commissioner Mark B. McClellan, M.D., Ph.D., said the task force will make recommendations on how food labels can be used for this purpose.
McClellan said current labels focus mainly on taste, ease of preparation, and price, but “the number one focus should be on how consumers’ health will be affected by including that food in their diet.” Evidence shows that providing information on the food label about the consequences for health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer is a compelling way to reach consumers, said the commissioner. But, “right now, there’s not much of a path to enable such health claims to be made.” Only limited incentives are available for the food industry to develop better health-promoting foods.
