Electronic Bulletin, October 2008, No. 8

Electronic Bulletin
Public Affairs Section, U.S. Consulate General, Hong Kong
October 2008, No. 8

(The Electronic Bulletin is an information service published by the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Consulate General and provided to subscribers by e-mail and fax. Except for the U.S. Government sites, the opinions expressed on the Internet sites listed here do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Government.)

Food Labeling: FDA Needs to Better Leverage Resources, Improve Oversight, and Effectively Use Available Data to Help Consumers Select Healthy Foods.
United States Government Accountability Office
GAO-08-597, September 9, 2008

The report is available online. (PDF file)*

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Two thirds of U.S. adults are overweight, and childhood obesity and diabetes are on the rise. To reverse these health problems, experts are urging Americans to eat healthier. Food labels contain information to help consumers who want to make healthy food choices. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees federal labeling rules for 80 percent of foods. GAO was asked to examine (1) FDA's efforts to ensure that domestic and imported foods comply with labeling rules, (2) the challenges FDA faces in these efforts, and
(3) the views of key stakeholders on FDA actions needed to mitigate misleading labeling. GAO analyzed FDA data, reports, and requirements on food labeling oversight and compliance and interviewed agency and key stakeholder group officials.

GAO is recommending actions for FDA to ensure that labeling office managers have the information they need to oversee compliance with labeling laws; ensure the public has timely access to information on labeling violations on FDA's public Web site; and better leverage resources to achieve its mission.

Subject: Public Health