In response to the
US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) new
Nutrition Facts label for packaged foods, Esko has introduced a series of handy tools and methods to help manufacturers comply with all the latest FDA food label regulations.
The Nutrition Facts label: what’s new?
Next to a refreshed design, the latest Nutrition Facts label has a larger font size for ‘servings per container’, ‘serving size’ and ‘calories’. ‘Added sugars’ have been added (no pun intended) both in grams and as a percentage of ‘daily value’.
“The new regulations require food and beverage manufacturers to
update all packaging artwork for products sold in the US, which is a complex challenge due to the sheer volume of work and the need to ensure the layout of the label is
exactly as described by the FDA”, comments Philippe Adam, Esko’s Vice President of Global Marketing.
FDA food label regulations: are you ready for 2018?
Esko has set out to establish a clear methodology for packaging manufacturers dealing with this challenge, helping them establish a workflow that adheres to all regulations. Mr. Adam explains: “We believe it is our job to help manufacturers transition to the new templates in a seamless manner,
well in advance of the 2018 deadline. With the solutions we have developed, we believe we are uniquely placed to do so.”
A tailored approach to food packaging design
As every organization has a unique workflow with different needs, Esko has developed three methods packaging manufacturers can choose from. Mr. Adam: “Each organization can adopt the method most suited to its current situation while using updated Nutritional Facts templates and be confident that they will optimize their nutritional labeling process and create a single source of truth.”
Method 1: Brand owner
This method starts with brand owners and takes things from there. It enables users to create
Nutrition Facts labels from scratch by means of templates. The labels are centralized for easy review and approval, after which they can be incorporated in the artwork. This method is particularly interesting
if data is spread across different systems or various files.
Method 2: Artwork
The second method begins with the artwork. It involves an Esko
plug-in that enables users to connect Adobe Illustrator to their workflow. The plug-in also provides label templates. After inserting a template into the artwork, users can easily update all the nutritional information while the plug-in
centralizes the data in the background for easier updates in the future.
Method 3: Full system integration
In case nutritional data is stored in external systems, Esko offers full system integration so that users can
automate the data collection process and no longer have to enter data manually. The labels are then centralized for efficient review and approval.
More information
Need help complying with the latest FDA food label regulations? Don’t hesitate to contact us at
info.eur@esko.com or
download the Esko solutions brochure.
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