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Ed Maixner and Martha Lynn Craver
The federal government is leading efforts to get Americans to eat smarter and healthier, and that's going to challenge the food industry on many fronts.
New dietary guidelines are now in the works at the
Recently passed health care legislation requires vending machine operators and restaurants with more than 20 sites to post the calorie count of products on vending machines, menus and other spots. Additional nutritional information, such as the amount of sodium, sugar and total fat, will have to be provided to consumers upon request.
New rules are likely on foods available at schools. The national five-year law for school lunches, breakfasts and summer food programs is up for renewal this year.
Lincoln's bill would give the USDA new power to set nutrition standards for all foods in schools, including vending machine fare, with a focus on foods that contribute to obesity. Key lawmakers want to prohibit the use of trans fats in school cafeterias. In the
At the very least, industry groups working with government agencies will be speeding up voluntary reductions, using New York City's National Salt Reduction Initiative as a model. New York, along with companies such as Heinz,
State legislators are also active. Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts and New York are weighing possible bans on trans fats in restaurants and in foods available at schools. State lawmakers nationwide are demanding more fresh fruits and veggies in school lunches and other child feeding programs.
In Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Illinois and New York, supermarkets get incentives to open stores in "food deserts" -- inner-city and rural areas that are served only by small stores, often with no fresh produce.
More "sin taxes" on sugar are likely. New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Michigan, Arizona, New Mexico and Hawaii are mulling taxing soft drink sales. California and Washington already do.
The
Plus employers are increasingly turning to penalties -- higher premiums on health insurance, for example -- for workers who are obese and won't join weight loss programs. Some employers are including nutritional counseling sessions in their benefit packages and including spouses and dependents in their antiobesity efforts.
For everyone in the food industry, it means a scramble to adapt.
For farmers and ranchers: An acceleration of trends in consumption -- less beef, dairy and sugar, and more fresh produce and fish from farms. But the
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack says, "A substantial percentage of the USDA budget goes into nutrition assistance, so we have something at USDA to say about this and something we can do about it -- more fruits and vegetables, more whole grains, more low-fat dairy, less fat, less sugar and less salt -- a good combination for us to get kids on the right track."
THE FUTURE
For food processors: A search for new ways to preserve food products, replacing salt. Reformulating a slew of products. New labeling regulations. And more.
For sellers: Rejiggering menus and product mixes and labeling them.
For everyone: The challenge of finding ways to meet new requirements while not outpacing consumers' willingness to change buying and eating habits.
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Health - Push for Healthier Diets Means Big Changes for the Food Industry