Information Served Well Done

I still contend that mandatory labeling of nutrition information on food products may be the single best government regulation ever. Having the information to make an informed choice on the things I put into my body is a truly great thing. Occasionally, when tempted to buy something I know I shouldn’t eat, merely looking at the fat content on the label convinces me to put the item back on the shelf.

Now there’s talk of an express version of the nutrition information.

WASHINGTON — Next month, General Mills Inc. and Kellogg Co. will begin emblazoning their breakfast cereals with symbols that summarize complex nutritional information — part of the growing use of logos to steer harried grocery shoppers toward healthier choices.

The proliferation of such symbols is a worldwide phenomenon, with government regulators in Britain, Sweden and elsewhere establishing logo systems that indicate how nutritious food products are. In the United States, however, corporations have been left to devise their own schemes. That’s led to a patchwork of systems that some fear further confuses consumers already unsure about how to eat wisely.

On Monday, the Food and Drug Administration took a first step toward clearing matters up, inviting food companies, trade groups, watchdog organizations, medical experts and its overseas counterparts to share how front-label symbols, like the “traffic light” system used in Britain, can improve public health.

This seems like a good idea too. However, it will probably be voluntary meaning only healthy or moderately healthy items are likely to use the symbols. I mean, who wants to advertise their product is bad for you. Therefore, I’m sure I’ll be turning the package to see what’s really in the product for the foreseeable future. And that’s OK; those labels have served me well so far.