FDA Sets Rules for Vending Machine Calorie Info

Chain restaurants, vending machines, and convenience stores would all have to prominently display the calorie counts of their foods under two proposed rules released by the FDA Friday. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) mandated that vending machines and food establishments with 20 or more locations — which include fast-food restaurants, bakeries, coffee shops, and certain grocery and convenience stores — display the calorie counts of their food items. The new rules would implement that portion of the law. Establishments whose primary purpose is not to sell food — such as movie theaters and bowling alleys — would not be subject to the law, meaning giant tubs of buttery popcorn and pizzas and nachos wouldn’t have to carry a calorie-count label. In addition to requiring restaurants to display calorie counts of specific foods prepared on site, the ACA also requires menus and menu boards to carry statements about suggested daily caloric intake. The FDA’s proposed rule suggests the statement read, “A 2,000-calorie diet is used as the basis for general nutrition advice; however, individual calorie needs may vary.”