NSF International and the American Society for Nutrition To Administer New Smart Choices Program
The American Society for Nutrition (ASN) and NSF International will act as program administrators providing both scientific and technical expertise to a board of directors comprised of non-profit, scientific and industry representatives.
18/06/09 NSF International and the American Society for Nutrition (ASN) have announced their joint roles in administering a new nutritional front-of-package labeling program, the Smart Choices Program. This nutrition labeling program will provide manufacturers and retailers with a reliable front-of-pack icon plus calorie information that helps consumers recognize smarter food and beverage products within product categories.
The goal of this new labeling program is to bring consistency and clarity to the U.S. marketplace. With the proliferation of front-of-pack labels, there is little uniformity, which often makes it difficult for manufacturers to convey the nutritional benefits of their products and can cause consumer confusion. The Smart Choices Program will make it easier for consumers to quickly identify products and select smarter food and beverage choices within product categories. It provides an opportunity for manufacturers to communicate with consumers about better-for-you products in a clear and consistent manner.
The American Society for Nutrition (ASN) and NSF International will act as program administrators providing both scientific and technical expertise to a board of directors comprised of non-profit, scientific and industry representatives.
“NSF International's core business is certifying products and writing standards for food, water and consumer goods in order to protect public health. This label program will assist consumers in choosing nourishing foods and beverages that fit within their daily caloric needs,” said Nancy Culotta, NSF Vice President. “We look forward to working with ASN to administer the program and ultimately help educate consumers on nutritional labeling.”
“The Smart Choices Program was developed through an unprecedented collaboration of scientists, public health advocates, food industry representatives and health organizations, and it is based on sound, consensus science. As the preeminent professional society for nutrition science, ASN looks forward to working with this exciting new program that will aid consumers in making healthier food selections when they shop," said Jim Hill, ASN President.
To qualify for the Smart Choices Program, all products must meet standards for specific “nutrients to limit,” and, for most categories, products must also meet criteria for positive attributes – “nutrients to encourage” or “food groups to encourage”. Specific qualifying criteria were developed for 19 different product categories, such as beverages, cereals, meats, dairy and snacks:
• Nutrients to limit: total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, added sugars and sodium
• Nutrients to encourage: calcium, potassium, fiber, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E
• Food groups to encourage: fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat or fat free dairy
The Smart Choices Program is not based on a scoring system; but rather it identifies foods based on science-based nutrition criteria within specific product categories. Products that meet the criteria are eligible to bear the Smart Choices icon on the front of the package. Accompanying the Smart Choices icon will be information on the number of calories per serving, as well as the number of servings in the package. The straightforward and transparent nutrition criteria distinguish the Smart Choices Program from others in the marketplace. All information is publicly available on the program's website: www.smartchoicesprogram.com. Smart Choices icon to be included here.
Companies who have already signed up to participate in the program include ConAgra Foods, General Mills, Kellogg Company, Kraft Foods, PepsiCo, SunMaid and Unilever.
The Smart Choices Program was initiated under the leadership of The Keystone Center, a non-profit organization that specializes in creating consensus solutions to public health problems. The Keystone Center organized a diverse group of scientists, academicians, health and research organizations, food manufacturers and retailers that worked collaboratively to develop the program and the nutrition criteria based on a transparent system of publicly available nutrition information. These criteria were derived from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and other sources of authoritative nutrition guidance including the USDA definition for “extra lean,” as well as other federal standards and authoritative guidance from the Institute of Medicine , World Health Organization, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The program was designed to be flexible and adaptable, allowing for revisions as new public policy, dietary guidelines and authoritative science emerges. The nutrition criteria for the Smart Choices Program are grounded in nutrition science using trusted authoritative guidance, which means no matter where a consumer shops, the Smart Choices Program front-of-pack symbol will have the same, trusted meaning.
