Smart Choices Program Postpones Active Operations

Group welcomes opportunity to collaborate on front-of-package labeling with
the FDA

WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- The Smart Choices Program announced today
that it will voluntarily postpone active operations and not encourage wider
use of the logo at this time by either new or currently enrolled companies.

This move follows an announcement by FDA Commissioner, Margaret Hamburg, M.D.
on Oct. 20, 2009 which said that the agency intends to develop standardized
criteria on which future front-of-package nutrition or shelf labeling will be
based. In a letter captioned, "Guidance for Industry" and posted on its
website, the FDA stated: "We want to work with the food industry retailers
and manufacturers alike as well as nutrition and design experts and the
Institute of Medicine, to develop an optimal, common approach to
nutrition-related FOP... that all Americans can trust and use to build better
diets and improve their health."

"We welcome the FDA's interest in developing uniform front-of-package and
shelf-labeling criteria," said Mike Hughes, chair, Smart Choices Program and
vice president for science and public policy at the Keystone Center. "The
Smart Choices Program shares that exact goal, and was designed to provide a
voluntary front-of-package labeling program that could promote informed food
choices and help consumers construct healthier diets. We continue to believe
the Smart Choices Program is an important step in the right direction."

The Smart Choices Program will also continue to work with those who have an
interest in front-of-package labeling, such as Connecticut Attorney General
Richard Blumenthal, who has asked for information about the development of the
program, which the group is providing.

The Smart Choices Program was developed, in part, to respond to earlier
governmental calls for a more uniform, voluntary, front-of-package labeling
program.

"Our nutrition criteria are based on sound, consensus science," said Hughes.
"But with the FDA's announcement this week that they will be addressing both
on front-of- package and on-shelf systems, and that uniform criteria may
follow, it is more appropriate to postpone active operations and channel our
information and learnings to the agency to support their initiative."

"The Smart Choices Program stands ready to work with and support the FDA, US
Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Institute of Medicine in this
effort," he added.

The Smart Choices Program was developed during an open and lengthy
collaborative process by a diverse coalition of scientists, nutritionists,
public health and public interest organizations and food industry leaders.
The program's nutritional criteria are based on the U.S. government's Dietary
Guidelines for Americans and the labels comply with all U.S. laws and
regulations.

For additional information on the Smart Choices Program, visit
www.smartchoicesprogram.com.

SOURCE Smart Choices Program

Kim Metcalfe, +1-312-988-2393, kmetcalfe@webershandwick.com, for Smart Choices
Program