JACKSON -- Proposed changes to the nutrition facts label should make it easier for consumers to make decisions about the food they eat.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is updating the label for the first time since it appeared on packaged foods in 1993. The only major change made to the label in its 20-year history was the required addition of trans fats in 2006.

“The goal is to simplify the label for the consumer,” said Brent Fountain, an associate Extension professor in the Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion at Mississippi State University. “They want to emphasize the information people need the most in relation to current health issues.”

The iconic label design will not change, but some elements of the label will be revamped to reflect the findings of new health and nutrition research.

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