The battle over sugar labeling is kicking off this week, as a federal agency will begin assessing public comment regarding new rules that would make food manufacturers stipulate exactly how much sugar is being added to products.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) currently requires food makers to note the total sugar content of a product in a product's 'fact panel' label box, but does not mandate that they list out the sugar added to the product.
The FDA regulatory move has been percolating for several years given medical and health research indicating rising numbers of diabetics in the country and obesity levels among children.
"There's been an increasing drum beat on the part of public health advocates to give consumers that information," said Michael Jacobson, who runs the nonprofit food advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest.
But the fight to expand sugar label information could be a long battle given that some food makers have already indicated they're not on board with such a change. One is the Campbell Soup Company, which makes everything from spaghetti sauce to cookies.
In a letter to the FDA the company claims differentiating sugar isn't informative or valuable to the consumer.
"Sugar is Sugar, regardless of the source," states the company.
Advocates of specific labels say it's important for consumers to understand sugar levels in order to keep weight and sugar levels under control.
But Campbell Soup isn'tt convinced the effort is valuable.
"Giving consumers a false impression that reducing added sugars without reducing calories may actually delay finding a real solution the problem" of obesity," Lisa J. Thorsten, director of regulatory affairs and nutrition for Campbell's, wrote in the letter.
The company's stance is supported by the Sugar Association, which claims there is no scientific evidence that supports the additional labeling actioin.
Yet medical and health groups point to an increasing amount of research regarding diabetes, specifically type 2 diabetes, which appears to be increasing in both the adult and in younger populations. The World Health Organization (WHO) already has issued new draft guidelines that advise consumers to cut their daily intake of sugar by 50 percent.
"The big difference between now and then is we have a system to provide the guidelines," said Francesco Branca, WHO nutrition department director. "We have credibility from the scientific point of view that make these guidelines easier to defend."
