The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the availability of an online educational and training module that explains the types of establishments and foods that are covered by the menu labeling regulations. The Agency also recently published two fact sheets for industry on menu labeling and declaring calories.

By way of background, FDA issued a final rule on Nutritional Labeling of Standard Menu Items in Restaurants and Similar Retail Food Establishments on Dec. 1, 2014 (see 79 Fed. Reg. 71155) and published a final guidance on the menu labeling provisions in April 2016. As reported on this blog, FDA issued a supplemental guidance document on the Menu Labeling Rule on May 7, 2018, the same day that the new requirements became effective. That guidance addresses concerns raised by stakeholders, such as calorie disclosure signage for self-service food, various methods for providing calorie disclosure, and criteria for distinguishing between menus and marketing material.

The objectives of the newly released Menu Labeling Regulation Module are:

• To identify key factors that led to the regulation of menu labeling;

• To describe the components of the menu labeling rule;

• To explain the Agency’s current strategy; and

• To locate appropriate resources.

FDA explained in a Constituent Update on the module that during the first year of implementation of the menu labeling regulations, it will focus on education and outreach and working cooperatively with establishments to help them comply.