Survey Data on Acrylamide in Foods
On September 27, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published survey data on its website of approximately 2,500 food products that were sampled and analyzed for acrylamide. The data includes brand names and product categories, including snacks. The survey can be downloaded in excel format from the FDA website.
Acrylamide is a chemical produced naturally as a result of cooking starch-rich foods at high temperatures, ie baking, frying, and roasting. It is generally found in coffee, potato chips, toast (bread), and bakery items.
Delayed Enforcement for Nutrition Labeling Panel
On January 1, 2020, companies with greater than $10 million in annual food sales are required to comply with the new nutrition facts labeling requirements. However, the FDA stated on its website that they do not plan on taking enforcement actions for the first six months following the January 1, 2020 compliance date. FDA explains they’ve received several requests for additional time to comply with the new requirements and intend to provide flexibility in the transition to the new labels.
The new facts label includes a larger bolder type for calories, updated serving sizes, updated daily values, and changes in nutrients required (including added sugars). For a full list of changes, please visit the FDA website.