FDA seeks input on nutrition labeling for certain sugars and issues Final Guidance on allulose
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is taking two actions regarding the labeling of certain sugars on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts label.
The FDA is issuing a Request for Information to receive information about the nutrition labeling of sugars that are metabolized differently than traditional sugars. The FDA also is issuing a final guidance regarding one of these sugars that are metabolized differently, allulose. The guidance addresses both the declaration of allulose on Nutrition Facts and Supplement Facts labels and the caloric content of allulose for use in nutrition labeling.
The Nutrition Facts label on foods and beverages lists the number or amount of calories, total carbohydrates, total sugars and added sugars, in addition to other information. The sugars that many consumers are most familiar with, like sucrose or «table sugar», cause an increase in blood glucose and insulin levels after they are consumed, have 4 calories per gram, and are associated with tooth decay.
Some sugars, such as allulose, D-tagatose, and isomaltulose, are metabolized differently than traditional sugars and do not have all of the same effects in the body as traditional sugars. Because of the different effects that these sugars can have, the FDA has received multiple requests from industry to treat certain sugars that are metabolized differently than traditional sugars as distinct for the purpose of nutrition labeling. For example, the FDA has been asked to exempt allulose from being included as a carbohydrate, sugar, or added sugar on the Nutrition Facts label and for the number of calories be lower than the 4 calories per gram that is used for traditional sugars.