Classification of Complex Carbohydrates

In 1991 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (FDA) and Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (FSIS) proposed extensive food labeling changes, which included mandatory nutrition labeling for most foods, standardized serving sizes, and uniform use of health claims. The regulation stated that complex carbohydrates would be part of the information given on the nutrition label, to be used, as part of its mission in educating the consumer1. The regulations proposed that mandatory labeling of complex carbohydrates would be the sum of dextrins, saccharide units of 10 or more, and starches.