What does Preamble of Food Labeling Modernization Act of 2026 do?

This bill aims to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act The amendment focuses on strengthening nutrient information requirements on food labels

What does ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR FRONT-OF-PACKAGE LABELING FOR of Food Labeling Modernization Act of 2026 do?

This section amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to establish additional requirements for front-of-package labeling for foods. It mandates interpretive nutrition information on the principal display panel, including calorie information and details on added sugars, sodium, and saturated fat, using a standardized symbol system. The system must be easily understandable, consistent across products, visually prominent, and aligned with the Nutrition Facts Panel and Dietary Guidelines for Americans. It requires conspicuous disclosure of whole grain and refined grain percentages on products using terms like 'whole wheat' or 'whole grain'. It mandates declaration of the quantity and form of fruit, vegetables, and yogurt on products using related terms or images. The Secretary is tasked with periodically evaluating the effectiveness of the symbol system and consumer education campaigns. The Secretary must submit a report to Congress within two years of enactment evaluating the use of low- and no-calorie sweeteners and potential health consequences.

What does CLAIMS FOR CONVENTIONAL FOODS. of Food Labeling Modernization Act of 2026 do?

This section amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act regarding health-related and nutrient content claims on food labels. It expands the definition of a 'health-related condition' to include descriptions of nutrient effects, mechanisms, or general well-being. It requires manufacturers to provide documentation substantiating health-related claims to the Secretary within 90 days of a request. It changes the standard for claims incompatible with healthy dietary practices from 'increases risk of disease' to 'may not be compatible with maintaining healthy dietary practices'. It mandates that labels with nutrient content claims high in a nutrient incompatible with healthy dietary practices must include a prominent statement indicating this. The Secretary is directed to revise regulations regarding sodium and added sugar disclosures, aligning them with established Daily Reference Values. The requirement for disclosing fat content in certain meal products is eliminated. It authorizes 'low added sugar' claims for products with 3 grams or less of added sugars per serving. It restricts claims about trans fat levels unless the food contains less than one gram of saturated fat per serving, or discloses saturated fat content prominently. The Secretary must promulgate a final rule within two years of enactment establishing a disqualifying nutrient level for added sugars.

What does USE OF SPECIFIC TERMS. of Food Labeling Modernization Act of 2026 do?

This section directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish regulations regarding the use of the term 'natural' on food labels (excluding dietary supplements). These regulations must address the use of 'natural' on both the principal and information panels of food labels. The regulations require a prominent disclosure explaining the meaning of 'natural' in terms of ingredients and manufacturing processes. The definition of 'natural' must exclude artificial ingredients, including flavors and colors, and be based on consumer understanding data. The Secretary must conduct consumer surveys and consider public submissions regarding consumer understanding of 'natural' and its relation to 'organic'. The section also mandates revisions to regulations concerning the use of the term 'healthy' on food labels. Revisions to 'healthy' regulations must consider the extent of added sugars and whole grains in food. For foods containing grains, the Secretary shall not consider them 'healthy' unless 100% of the grains are whole grains. Labeling requirements related to sodium must align with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Regulations defining 'healthy' must consider both food and nutrient criteria and focus on nutrient-dense ingredients that form the core of a healthy eating pattern.

What does FORMAT OF INGREDIENT LIST. of Food Labeling Modernization Act of 2026 do?

This section directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish regulations for the format of ingredient lists on food labels (excluding dietary supplements). The regulations must improve readability and assist consumers in maintaining healthy dietary practices. Format requirements include specifications for font size, character types, contrast, and bullet points, with potential exemptions for small packages. The Secretary must submit a report to Congress every two years detailing the enforcement of ingredient list regulations under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and related FDA regulations.

What does DECLARATION OF PHOSPHORUS IN THE INGREDIENT LIST. of Food Labeling Modernization Act of 2026 do?

This section amends Section 403 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. It requires that foods intended for human consumption containing phosphorus must declare the presence of phosphorus on the ingredient list. The declaration must include the quantity of phosphorus in milligrams per serving. The phosphorus declaration can be placed either immediately after or adjacent to the ingredient list, using a type size no smaller than that used for the ingredient list. Alternatively, the phosphorus quantity can be reported in the Nutrition Facts Panel.

What does CAFFEINE CONTENT ON INFORMATION PANEL. of Food Labeling Modernization Act of 2026 do?

This section amends Section 403(i) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The amendment modifies existing requirements regarding the labeling of caffeine content in food. It adds a requirement for foods other than dietary supplements containing 10 milligrams or more of caffeine per serving to display the amount of caffeine and serving size. The caffeine content statement must be placed near the ingredient statement.

What does FOOD ALLERGEN LABELING. of Food Labeling Modernization Act of 2026 do?

This section amends Section 201(qq) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The amendment adds a provision allowing the Secretary to determine and regulate additional food ingredients as major food allergens based on prevalence and severity of allergic reactions. The Secretary of Health and Human Services must update the Food and Drug Administration's Compliance Policy Guide within two years of the Act's enactment. The Compliance Policy Guide update must conform to laws regarding major food allergens and gluten-containing grains, including sections 9 and 10 of this Act.

What does INFORMATION ABOUT MAJOR FOOD ALLERGENS AND GLUTEN-CONTAINING of Food Labeling Modernization Act of 2026 do?

This section amends Section 403(w) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to include gluten-containing grains alongside major food allergens in labeling requirements. The amendments specify that information about major food allergens and gluten-containing grains must be printed in a specific manner, either immediately after or adjacent to the list of ingredients. For nonpackaged foods sold at retail, the information can be placed on a sign adjacent to the food. Section 418 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act is amended to include gluten-containing grains in hazard analysis and preventive controls. Section 205 of the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 is amended to include gluten-containing grains in inspections relating to food allergens.

What does SUBMISSION AND AVAILABILITY OF FOOD LABEL INFORMATION. of Food Labeling Modernization Act of 2026 do?

This section amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act by adding Section 403D. The Secretary is required to mandate that manufacturers or importers of packaged food submit label information, including nutrition facts panels, ingredient lists, images of the principal display panel, allergen information, and nutrient/health-related claims. Manufacturers or importers must update submitted information to ensure it remains current and complete. A civil penalty of up to $10,000 per day may be imposed for knowingly violating the submission requirements. The Secretary must create and maintain a public database on the Food and Drug Administration website containing the submitted label information, allowing for easy public search and sorting.

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Food Labeling Modernization Act of 2026

Last updated: 4/20/2026 · Introduced: 4/20/2026

Author: Frank Pallone (D-NJ)

TL;DR (AI)

This bill mandates interpretive nutrition information, including calorie counts and details on added sugars, sodium, and saturated fat, on the front of food packages using a standardized symbol system.
It revises health claim regulations, requiring manufacturers to substantiate claims and adding a statement for products high in nutrients incompatible with healthy diets, while authorizing 'low added sugar' claims.
The bill establishes regulations defining the term 'natural' on food labels, excluding artificial ingredients and flavors, and revises the definition of 'healthy' to consider added sugars and whole grains.
It expands food allergen labeling requirements to include gluten-containing grains alongside major allergens, and mandates that online food retailers provide nutrition, ingredient, and allergen information before purchase.
The bill requires manufacturers to submit label information, including nutrition facts panels and allergen details, to the FDA and creates a public database for easy access to this information.

119th Congressin committeeOfficial page

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Other Sections

Includes provisions on preamble, additional requirements for front-of-package labeling for, and 15 more.

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