FDA plans to standardize criteria for food nutrition labels following which Unilever PLC decided to phase out use of Smart Choices logo on its food and beverage products.

U. S. manufacturers rolled out their Smart Choices program last year in the middle of obesity rates, including Kellogg Co., Kraft Foods Inc. and General Mills Inc.

The front part of the food packages display the green labels which meet certain standards for calories per serving and fat content.

There have been complains regarding the lax standards for the program with logos appearing everywhere on any kind of frozen sweets to sugary cereals.

Federal health officials warned food makers last week that the logos may mislead the consumers regarding the food's actual health benefits.

The agency told manufacturers that it will come down heavily upon inaccurate labeling, although no specific products were mentioned or given a timeline for enforcement.

FDA is developing proposed nutritional standards that would be mandatory for the manufacturers to follow before placing any claims on their packages.

However, the officials with Smart Choices in Washington D. C., have said that they stand by its nutritional criteria but added that they will postpone active operations till FDA investigates labeling issues.

Unilever said that it will await the FDA's direction on future front-of-package nutrition labeling. Unilever makes Ragu sauce, Wishbone salad dressings, Klondike bars, Breyers ice cream and Slim Fast Shakes among other products.