New food labels for meat and poultry

E-mail | Print | Comments () Posted by Deborah Kotz December 30, 2010 10:36 AM

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USDA

An example of what the new labels will look like.

You know those nifty nutrition facts labels that you see on packages of pasta, pretzels, and cookies? Ever wonder why they're not on the meat and chicken you buy? Well, now they will be starting January 1, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced yesterday.

Look for nutrition labels on 40 of the most popular cuts of meat and poultry telling you how many calories, and grams of total fat and saturated fat a product contains. You'll be able to tell, for example, whether baked ham is a better choice than beef brisket -- and just how much more fat those chicken wings have compared to skinless chicken breast.

"The panels should provide consumers with sufficient information at the store to assess the nutrient content of the major cuts, enabling them to select meat and poultry products that fit into a healthy diet that meets their family's or their individual needs," the USDA said in this statement released to the media.

The new labels will also make sense of confusing terms like "85% lean" -- which means it's composed of 15% fat but when you do a calorie breakdown, 54% of calories still come from fat. The new labels will make it clear what percentage of calories come from fat versus protein. While you're waiting for those new labels, check out this USDA ground beef calculator to help you figure out how much fat is in that burger.

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about the blog

Daily Dose gives you the latest consumer health news and advice from Boston-area experts. Deborah Kotz is a former reporter for US News and World Report. Write her at dailydose@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter at @debkotz2.

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