Food companies may soon be required to include how much sugar is added to products outside the natural sugars in the food. Currently it is only required that companies list total sugar content.
The Food and Drug Administration will start reviewing the thousands of comments for and against adding the new labeling regulation to food products.
"There's been an increasing drum beat on the part of public health advocates to give consumers that information," said Michael Jacobson, head of the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
Currently, companies are only required to list the total amount of sugar in products such as yogurt. They are not required, however, to list how much sugar was added to the product outside the natural sweeteners that come from the yogurt or added ingredients.
Jacobson said he was "almost in disbelief" when he heard of the FDA's proposed plans.
Companies such as Campbell Soup Company disagree with the new regulations saying that it can confuse the public. It would also hurt sweetener companies who are already battling one another.
"Sugar is sugar, regardless of the source," said Campbell Soup Company in a letter to the FDA.
Lisa Thorsten, the company's director of regulatory affairs and nutrition, said that giving consumers the false impression that reducing added sugars without reducing calories will help, may simply delay the search for a practical solution.
Additionally, the Sugar Association said there is a lack of scientific evidence that justifies adding the added sugar content.
Proponents of the sugar labeling say that this war has been going on for a long time. CSPI says added sugars are empty calories and Jacobson has a history of suing food producers and soda manufacturers.
Rick Berman, Washington-based public relations specialist and industry advocate, said Jacobson is in the "food hysteria business."
Some people, however, think improving the nutrition labels isn't an effective way to improve the health of Americans.
"The people who read labels are the people who are already watching their health and their weight," said Baylen Linnekin, head of nonprofit Keep Food Legal. "This isn't going to cause a dramatic change."
These new regulations come at a time when the public is insisting on more transparency regarding where their food comes from and what goes into it.
