FDA Extends Comment Period for the Proposed Rule on Nutritional Labeling on Menus

May 25, 2011   
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is extending the comment period until July 5, 2011 for the proposed requirements for providing nutritional information on menus at chain restaurants and similar retail food establishments. As we previously blogged, the comment period for the proposed rule for chain restaurant menu labeling was set to expire on June 6, 2011. As we previously blogged (here, here, here, and here), the proposed rule involves a provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“PPACA”), the 2010 Healthcare Reform Law, which requires that chain restaurants and similar retail food establishments that are part of a chain with 20 or more locations doing business under the same name and offering the same menu items, provide calorie information directly on the menu and have nutritional information available upon request.

The FDA stated in todays Federal Register Notice that it has received several requests to extend the comment period. The additional time is needed, according to the requesters, for a number of reasons, “including a need for time to assess the effect of the proposal on the industry; a desire to conduct consumer research to support comments on the proposal; and the complexities of the proposed rule.”

For more information regarding labeling of food products and how the PPACA will impact your business, please contact us at contact@fidjlaw.com.