Smart Choices Program postpones active operations

WASHINGTON The Smart Choices Program announced Friday that it would voluntarily postpone active operations and not encourage wider use of the logo at this time by either new or currently-enrolled companies.

This move follows an announcement by FDA commissioner Margaret Hamburg on Oct. 20, which said that the agency intends to develop standardized criteria on which future front-of-package nutrition or shelf labeling will be based. In a letter captioned, "Guidance for Industry" and posted on its Web site, the FDA stated: "We want to work with the food industry retailers and manufacturers alike as well as nutrition and design experts and the Institute of Medicine, to develop an optimal, common approach to nutrition-related FOP... that all Americans can trust and use to build better diets and improve their health."

The Smart Choices Program was developed, in part, to respond to earlier governmental calls for a more uniform, voluntary, front-of-package labeling program. The program was developed during an open and lengthy collaborative process by a diverse coalition of scientists, nutritionists, public health and public interest organizations and food industry leaders. The program's nutritional criteria are based on the U.S. government's Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the labels comply with all U.S. laws and regulations.

The Smart Choices Program will also continue to work with those who have an interest in front-of-package labeling.

"Our nutrition criteria are based on sound, consensus science," said Mike Hughes, chair, Smart Choices Program and VP for science and public policy at the Keystone Center. "But with the FDA's announcement this week that they will be addressing both on front-of- package and on-shelf systems, and that uniform criteria may follow, it is more appropriate to postpone active operations and channel our information and learnings to the agency to support their initiative. The Smart Choices Program stands ready to work with and support the FDA, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Institute of Medicine in this effort."

For additional information on the Smart Choices Program, visit www.smartchoicesprogram.com.

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