U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, both of Connecticut, want the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to further improve the food packaging labeling rules the agency proposed earlier this year. Blumenthal gave an example of one improvement they’d like to see.
“Tell consumers how much sugar is in the product, not in grams, but in teaspoons," said Blumenthal. "Americans don’t understand what grams are. They do understand teaspoons.”
The lawmakers also want more honest definitions of food marketing terms like all natural, whole wheat and healthy. The FDA’s proposed new labeling rules are aimed at updating serving size requirements among other changes. In a written statement, an FDA spokesperson says the agency values input from members of Congress as they finalize the new labeling standards.
