NRA and Silliker Partner on New Nutrition Awareness Efforts

Silliker will provide laboratory, technical, and information services to restaurants as part of the National Restaurant Association’s (NRA) nutrition awareness efforts. The service agreement was reached in response to the passage of a new federal law in March mandating labeling requirements for U.S. chain restaurants.

Under the Nutrition Labeling of Standard Menu Items at Chain Restaurants directive, restaurants and similar retail food establishments with 20 or more locations will be required to provide “clear and conspicuous information” to consumers that:

• Declare the number of calories each standard menu item provides as it is typically prepared and present required calorie information in terms of suggested caloric intake in the context of an overall diet.
• Provide additional nutrition information upon consumer request. This information must include: Macronutrients per serving size or other unit of measure: calories, calories from fat, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrates, sugars, dietary fiber, and protein. Statements must appear on the establishment’s menu and menu board informing consumers of the availability of this additional information.

“Restaurateurs have an increasing interest in obtaining accurate nutrition information of the dishes they serve, but the analysis process has presented challenges,” said David Gilbert, chief operator officer of the National Restaurant Association. “With the new law on nutrition disclosure in effect for certain restaurants, it has become imperative to find solutions to those challenges. That is why we partnered with the best nutrition-analysis providers in the business to meet our members’ needs for customized service at affordable rates.”

Silliker, meeting and exceeding ISO 17025 accreditation standards nationwide, will offer analytical nutrient testing, database recipe analysis, nutrient content reviews, and consulting services to NRA members at special membership pricing.

For more information on the Nutrition Awareness Program, log on to www.silliker.com/usa/html/labservices/restaurantnutritionaltesting.php