(July 16, 2010 - The Packer)—To help members prepare to add nutrition information to their menus, the National Restaurant Association joined forces with three nutrition services.
FoodCALC, Healthy Dining and Silliker are part of the Washington, D.C.-based association’s efforts to make the transition into providing nutrition information on menus as easy as possible for more than 1,800 members.
NRA joins with nutrition analysis services.
Soome foodservice operators have already been working on the issue, because some regional and state laws have required calorie counts and other nutrition information on menu boards. The March passage of health care reform included menu labeling requirements nationally, although they’re not likely to be mandated until 2012.
The analysis process has presented challenges in obtaining accurate nutrition information for menu items, said David Gilbert, chief operator officer of the association, in a news release.
“With the new law on nutrition disclosure in effect for certain restaurants, it has become imperative to find solutions to those challenges,” Gilbert said.
The three organizations offer different services. FoodCALC’s MenuCalc is a Web-based recipe nutrition analysis software designed for restaurant operators.
Healthy Dining operates www.healthydiningfinder.com, a consumer site that allows diners to search for restaurants with healthy options. The company also offers consultation and analysis services for restaurants.
Silliker offers laboratory, technical and information services to help companies comply with the requirements, including helping substantiate nutrition claims, according to the release.
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