In an effort to make food labels easier to understand, the Institute of Medicine is lobbying for a new standard food labeling system, according to recent news reports.
The group hopes that the new labels, which would be similar to the Energy-Star ratings used for appliances, will make it easier to make well-informed choices about what we put into our bodies.
The proposed changes would have the traditional nutrition table on the back, with the front bearing the calorie county and a check mark or star markings. Foods would get checks for meeting the criteria of the Institute of Health. Current labeling can be confusing, as a package can claim to be full of some nutrients, while leaving out that they may be too high in others, such as saturated fat or sodium.
Industry advocates are still working on the program, explaining that food and nutrition can be very complicated when it comes to labels.
As a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer, I hope that consumer advocate groups, the food industry, and federal regulatory groups can come to an agreement that is best for the consumer. As a product liability lawyer, I believe that consumers have the right to information that affects their health and lives.
