Something else that bugs me: on our Nutrition Facts labels, "Calories"
is used like it's a property of the food item and not a unit of
measurement. Fat, sodium, carbohydrates and the like are correctly
described with a label on the left and a number with its units (g, mg)
on the right. Instead, the "Calories" word should be replaced by
"Energy" and the number at the right should be followed by the unit
(Cal, kcal, kJ).
I've written to the FDA about possibly getting the rules changed. I'm
not even sure if that's the correct agency to contact (perhaps the FTC?)
On 24 Feb 2010, at 06:17, John M. Steele wrote:
It seems to me that what she really had to explain was "calorie"
whereas kilojoule was almost an aside for international readers.
Our food labeling laws require that the kilocalorie shall be used
and it shall be called calorie. That is confusing. If you don't
understand the unit you are starting with, it is harder than normal
to convert to kilojoules (which may NOT be legally used here on
nutrition labels). (It may be allowed as supplemental, but not to
replace mislabelled kilocalories.)
