美国菜单标明卡路里 防范肥胖风险
The U.S. government will publish sweeping new rules on Tuesday requiring chain restaurants and large vending machine operators to disclose calorie counts on menus to make people more aware of the risks of obesity posed by fatty, sugary foods.
美国政府于25日出台一项食品行业新规定，要求连锁餐馆和大型自动售货机商家在菜单中标明食物所含的卡路里，以提醒人们高脂高糖食物会带来肥胖的风险。
"Obesity is a national epidemic that affects millions of Americans," Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Margaret Hamburg told reporters on a conference call on Monday.
"Strikingly, Americans eat and drink about a third of their calories away from home."
The FDA's new rules, which are part of the 2010 Affordable Care Act, set a national standard for restaurant chains with 20 or more outlets.
Under the rules, calories must be displayed on all menus and menu boards. Other nutritional information - including calories from fat, cholesterol, sugars and protein - must be made available in writing upon request.
The new calorie rule covers meals at sit-down restaurants, take-out food, bakery items, ice cream from an ice-cream store and pizza, which will be labeled by the slice and whole pie. Seasonal menu items, such as a Thanksgiving dinner, daily specials and standard condiments will be exempt.
The final rule, unlike a 2011 proposal, includes movie theaters, amusement parks and alcoholic beverages served in restaurants, but not drinks mixed or served at a bar.
Restaurants have one year and vending machine operators have two years to comply with the new rules following publication in the Federal Register.