FDA issues small entity compliance guide on menu labeling requirements.

• On December 1, 2014, FDA published a final rule to implement the menu labeling provisions added to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) by the Affordable Care Act.  Under the new requirements, restaurants or similar retail food establishments (in chains of 20 or more locations doing business under the same name and selling substantially similar menu items) must provide calorie and other nutrition information for standard menu items.
• FDA has released a small entity compliance guide to help the industry understand the scope and coverage of the rule and compliance dates, as well as specifics of the new requirements.
• Although the menu labeling requirements do not take effect until December 1, 2015, covered entities should be working actively toward compliance at this time.